Thursday, 2/5 | Kathy

Team One?? Team One, where are you??

This is Kathy, writing to tell you about the first day of our trip. There are 16 of us on Team One and for various reasons, we all did not have the same flight schedule. The plan was for all of us to fly to Dulles Airport in Washington DC, take the shuttle to the Hampton Inn where we would meet, have a nice dinner, get some sleep, then fly to Ethiopia on Friday morning. That was a nice plan…

Ten of us were leaving from the La Crosse airport Thursday morning. Things started out just fine and they stayed that way – for about an hour. We were checking in for our flight to DC when everything was halted. The plane had mechanical problems and was taken out of service. Flight cancelled. The remaining flights to Dulles Airport could not accommodate our group of 10 so various options were explored. The only good option was for us to take a bus to Minneapolis where we could get a flight to Reagan Airport in DC (we couldn’t get a flight to Dulles Airport but at least we would get to DC). So off we went to Minneapolis, hauling all our luggage – 2 large suitcases per person, each packed to the 50# limit with medical supplies and a few personal items. Plus we all had at least one carry-on. Our bus driver even commented that there were so few of us on the bus – and so much luggage!

Meanwhile, Jeff & Sally (our team leaders) and Sig & Jean Ann were not flying with our group. They were already in Minneapolis getting ready to board their flight to DC. Jacky Lam, the anesthesia assistant on our team, called Jeff about our cancelled flight. Jeff thought we were kidding! Oh well, their flight was on time so the rest of us would just meet them much later in DC. So much for having a nice dinner somewhere! Our bus arrived at the Minneapolis airport but the bus was too high and could not drop us off in front of the terminal, so we were dropped off in the city bus area. As we loaded ourselves down with all our suitcases and carry-ons, our bus driver courteously points out the escalator, telling us to take it down one floor to catch the tram to the terminal. Escalator??? Is she kidding? Some of us were hauling stuff that weighed more than we do! We politely smiled, thanked her for the nice bus ride and made a bee-line for the nearest elevator. We safely boarded the tram, although we found out those doors close much too quickly when you are tumbling in with luggage! Imagine our surprise when we later got a text from Jeff telling us that their plane is turning around and going back to the Minneapolis airport!!!

Now it was our turn to say “you’re kidding”!! There were mechanical problems – their engine light was on. They had been flying for 45” before turning back. They landed safely amid the flashing lights of fire engines and emergency vehicles that were all in place – just in case! We eventually found each other at the airport. Jeff & Sally and Sig & Jean Ann were rescheduled for their flight to Dulles Airport at 5:15 and the rest of us were rescheduled for our flight to Reagan Airport at 5:35. We couldn’t get all of us on the same plane. So, Washington DC, here we come… or so we thought…

Jeff, Sally, Sig & Jean Ann boarded their plane and left. Then the rest of us boarded our plane and left. The big difference is that their plane actually took off – ours didn’t. We had taxied out to the runway and we were second in line for take-off. Then we stopped and we stayed stopped. Other planes around us were taking off. We weren’t second anymore. Soon came the inevitable announcement from the pilot and those dreaded words – “mechanical problems”. What!?! Not again?!? Back to the gate we went. Two hours after boarding, we were un-boarding. An hour later we were given a different plane and took off, this time actually getting airborn! DC- here we come (again)!

Thankfully, the flight went well and we landed in DC at 11:30pm (east coast time). We got on 3 shuttles – we needed that many to accommodate the baggage – and after a 45” ride we checked into the Hampton Inn at 1am. So, we are ALL finally in Washington DC. Cherry had flown in from Florida, Devin flew in on an earlier flight from Minneapolis and we know Jeff & Sally and Sig & Jean Ann are here. Our team is complete. We are safe. We are tired. We will sleep fast so we can get up in the morning and start all over again. Tomorrow (Friday) our day starts with breakfast at 6am, then catching the shuttles at 7am for the airport. We aren’t even going to think about those two dirty, little words “mechanical problems”. Considering that we haven’t even left the country yet, this trip has been much too eventful! Stay tuned…

– Kathy