Uncategorized

Sunday was a bit of a later start with our plan to arrive at the Relays at 12 noon. Initially before the trip I was told that there would be no relays which was terribly disappointing. The Relays are absolutely my favorite event—both for spectating and for screening. Upon arrival at the rez, I found out that the relays were on, and this was great news!

We received a warm welcome when paying our entry fee with the promise that we would be announced for our screening tent. With our early arrival, we had our choice of spots for canopy and ended up with a prime spectating spot right by the starting line. As promised the announcer let the crowd know that we were there and available for free screenings and free hygiene supplies. Very quickly we began to have business with many repeat screenings from past years. It’s hard to describe what makes this environment different for screenings—it is more relaxed, people are more willing to chat, and overall, it is just more open. Also, thankfully, the temp was cooler than 95 with clouds and a nice breeze.

Before we knew it, two hours plus had passed, and the races were on. One of our first screening participants parked next to us was the family member of one of the relay racing teams and had a grandson that we had watched a few years ago (when he was 2!) in the pony races. The grandson, P., was in the pony races again—he was fully dressed in racing regalia and his dad lead him during the race again. This was quite the exciting pony race, with P.’s dad falling down amongst the ponies during the race, and P. finishing second on his own in full meltdown crying. Poor baby-he probably thought that his dad had been trampled. Everyone was fine though—no injuries but just the type of excitement that we are used to at the relays!

During a lull in the activity, Suzie and I and some of the students went to the concession stand in the center infield area of the track to seek out snow cones. During this trip away from the tent, we ended up preoccupied by a month-old pony that was absolutely precious. We took so long that a race was run and completed. I happened to look up and see the majority of my students sprinting down the track—a rider in this race fell off his horse and was stepped on at the end of the race. I told Suzie that we had to go, and we walked quickly (sorry, no sprinting from me at this point). Side note: There is usually an ambulance present throughout the relays, but for some reason there was not one present this year. The students and relay officials/organizers were gathered around the rider who was screaming in pain. They had already cleaned and dressed his leg wound and done an initial survey. There was no neck injury or other injuries beyond the leg. This rider, a young Lakota man, insisted upon standing up—screaming, “I’m an f*&3@ing cowboy”. He was helped to standing and supported to be non-weight bearing and carried to a four-wheeler. It was unclear if his leg was fractured or only the wound with soft tissue injury, but it was treated like his leg was broken. After being taken off to wait for the ambulance to arrive, the students received big thank you from the relays announcer and clapping and car horn honking from the relays audience. I am very proud of their actions—they acted quickly, appropriately, and as a team. What an outstanding representation of the school and the profession of nursing. We had a visit from one of the relays officials after this incident telling us that we needed to be on stand-by in case anything else happened injury-wise since the ambulance was not present.  Thank God there were no further injuries, even though the relays were some of the wildest that I have seen. Just absolute chaos and craziness.

Also, during the races, two young boys came around selling raffle tickets to try to raise money to go to compete in a horse race in Minnesota. Jordan bought $5 worth of tickets from them, and toward the end of the races, we were quite surprised when his winning ticket was drawn. He won a beautiful star quilt in white and blue tones that almost looks like a snowflake and some relay team t-shirts and a hoodie. What an end to the day at the races!

Saturday saw a return to Pine Ridge for us with an earlier start to ensure that we could make it before the road closed for the pow wow parade.  We returned to our spot along the sidewalk across from the pow wow grounds.  While yesterday was a trickle, today was a steady stream.  Pine Ridge turns out for the parade and that benefited us greatly as far as screening participants.

The students now work as a team fairly seamlessly–they are comfortable approaching people and inviting them to our tent.  They also pair up without issue and trade off so that everyone gets a chance to screen.  The weather today was HOT and dry with no breeze to speak of so our only issue was our incredibly sensitive cholesterol monitors.  They are not meant for this type of environment, but we make it work by keeping them in the shade and putting them on ice in between screenings.  We have seen all ages during our screening time–elderly to young adult with lots of children for the students to interact with.  Our kids bag has bubbles, frisbees, coloring books, and crayons, and the bubbles are always a hit.  With lots of screenings, kids galore, and throw in a cute puppy at the tent next to us, and you have a great screening environment, even with the heat.

While the big excitement during a previous trip was a high speed chase that we witnessed in Pine Ridge, this year there was a car fire on the pow wow grounds.  Nothing to see beyond a lot of smoke, and thank goodness everyone got out safely.

With our location this year, we were right at the end of the parade route so once the parade started, the students and alum were just like the kids with their empty bags waiting for candy to be thrown at them.  They ended up with two hospital bath basins full of candy.  I stayed in the shade of the tent, and by doing so missed out on getting sprayed by the fire truck like a sprinkler.  Oh well, there’s always next year.

We also met a group from IHS that were staffing the mobile clinic at the pow wow.  This was terribly exciting for me, and they were so kind and friendly.  We met an ED nurse, a flight nurse, and the supervisor of outpatient services.  We exchanged contact information, and the supervisor of outpatient services told me to contact her for tours and other experiences with IHS.  We were also invited to tour the mobile clinic!

After screening for as long as our equipment would hold out, we stopped by the mobile clinic, and the students did a brief tour.  The physician staffing the clinic stated that in past year’s she has seen up to 150 patients over pow wow weekend and that sometimes people will come to see her for a visit and this is the only time that they will see a Dr.  This certainly supports what we have heard from many people–they just don’t go to the doctor or are distrustful of IHS.

We went into the pow wow briefly to get a beverage from my new iced coffee supplier–Pejuta Sapa–or Black Medicine Coffee.  It is a mobile coffee shop truck based in Kyle but at the pow wow this year with the food vendors.  After everyone got something cold, we saw that the dancers were lining up for the afternoon grand entry.  I decided that I was going to seek out our friend S., an elder traditional dancer, from the 2016 trip.  We met him at the pow wow in 2016 and talked to him extensively and then later sent him a note and photos.  I easily picked him out of the crowd–he was in his red regalia talking to two other traditional older traditional dancers.  While he did not remember my name, he remembered the group from 2016 and was surprised that we had come back.  He also stated that he still reads the note that we sent him periodically.  He is doing well and currently helping to care for his wife who recently had some toes amputated.  We took photos with him, and I told him that we would send some to him from this year.  It was great to see him, and I am so happy that he remembered the group.

After another fiesta/siesta, we went to Singing Horse, and I finally got to see A. and baby L.  Also, V. and C. were in the store–I had not seen C. in 5 years since she moved to Rapid, but she remembered us as well.  The students shopped more and then climbed the ridge again for photos.  We drove out to the Red Shirt Table overlook trying to catch the sunset, but I had visited too long at Rosie’s, and we barely missed it.  Doesn’t matter though–the incoming storm clouds and colorful sky against the backdrop of the Badlands provided some of the most beautiful landscape, I have ever seen.  A great way to end this day–chasing sunsets as the students say.

As we arrived on the reservation, there was still so much up in the air as far as plans. One thing that I am always able to schedule ahead of time is our visit to the Oglala Lakota College Nursing Program. We were scheduled to visit at 0930 on Friday, but I got an email from our contact to cancel due to a family member’s health emergency. We quickly regrouped and used this bonus time to sort our donations. We had received 180 pounds of personal hygiene items from Supplies Over Seas (Thank you!) and then the students had gotten other donations as well. After a fun, donation-sorting period, we left for the Children’s Pow Wow in Pine Ridge.

This year was the first year for a separate Children’s Pow Wow so of course, we needed to see the kids! After a grand entry that mesmerized the students, the kids (all the way from toddlers to teenagers) began their specific dances. My favorite is the men’s/guy’s traditional dance. In this dance, the men wear a bustle of feathers, a headpiece with feathers that looks like a long mohawk, and often times a breast plate. In this type of dance which I think (emphasis on the think!) the moves simulate the hunt. The precision of the steps and body movements with the drum often gives the sense that the dancer is in a trance—they seem to be one with the beat of the drum. There was a teenage boy with red regalia that made an instant impression in this dance. He was absolutely amazing to watch. I look forward to seeing him dance in future years—he is already amazing and probably only 14 years old!

I also needed to make contact with my tribal contact that I met last year about where we were going to set up near the pow wow for screenings. He and I have had a back and forth discussion on whether we needed to pay to be a vendor. Since we are not selling anything, paying to be present seems like a stretch, but I do understand that the pow wow takes a lot of planning, manpower, etc. We finally got things worked out, and for the first time were to set up outside the pow wow parking lot. We were with vendors selling Indian Tacos and other food along the sidewalk of the parade route. I had decided that we would begin to screen on Friday if given the opportunity and since we needed to stay in Pine Ridge so that we could go back to the pow wow then why not set up for a couple of hours? Of course, I forgot a few things at the cabin—like our IUS banner, etc. but that is par for the course. There are a lot of things to remember and organize for this trip—I do my best! Anyway, we set up and surprisingly had a steady trickle of interested people. This was a good start for the students to get used to the telemedicine platform, screening flow, and what to expect. Several of the students chose to be our outreach team and walked around talking to people and inviting them over to our tent. The team worked very well together-taking turns, assisting each other, and adapting very quickly to the expectations.

We went back to the pow wow for the main grand entry at 7pm. I had told the students that the evening grand entry was like the children’s grand entry but on steroids. We found an excellent spot to watch, and the grand entry did not disappoint. I love to watch their reactions to this beautiful event and see the awe in their faces. It is such a beautiful expression of the Lakota culture, and it gives me goose bumps every time that I have the privilege to attend and observe. I encourage students to take photos as appropriate, and as with other groups, this group was afraid to ask individual dancers if they could take photos with them. We got over this hurdle when I asked a teenaged female jingle dancer in the most beautiful pink regalia if Becca could take a photo with her. She was very gracious, and this broke the ice. As we got ready to leave, the students got several photos with their favorite dancers. Spirits were high as we headed back to our home for the week.

Where to start with this trip? So much already…another drive, another group, another trip with new experiences. Here I am again-on the reservation with 10 students and an alum. This will be the largest group that I have taken since I’ve been at IUS, and unfortunately, that means moving back to the 15-passenger van. At this point, I feel like I could drive an RV without difficulty!

We left at 11pm on Tuesday night—one alum and 3 students and the van loaded with lots and lots of donations. The other 7 students chose to fly with an arrival on Thursday. A long, long drive with no hiccups beyond my travel credit card not initially working, and we arrived in Kyle around 4. Since the burrito stand was open when we drove in, we started our trip with an Indian Taco of pure deliciousness (this was before we even got to the motel!). A smooth check-in later and a siesta (or fiesta if you are Jordan) was had by all. I probably could have slept from siesta-time at about 5pm until the next morning, but my excitement at arriving overruled the fatigue. We went to Singing Horse to say hello, and I got to see Freida, Andrea, and Rosie briefly. The students climbed the ridge and took photos before we returned to the motel.

The other 7 students arrived in Rapid at 12:15 on Thursday. We didn’t waste our morning before our drive though—we stopped by the Badlands Visitor Center and took photos around the visitor center. The group of 3 and Suzie already have a great vibe. Energetic and enthusiastic for anything—this is my favorite trip mindset, and it is not always possible with students. The other students arrived on time, and we went to Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse. There was a Theodore Roosevelt actor at Mt Rushmore for the first time, and we enjoyed meeting him and getting photos (there has to be some sort of new draw since Mt Rushmore is generally a drag!). We found out that he was from Indiana and will be coming to the Corydon Historical Center in October for a re-enactment. Such a small world! After eating at a very interesting Mexican restaurant in Rapid, we went to Walmart for the usual divide and conquer shopping trip that ends with trying to cram everything in the van with the luggage and the passengers. Of course, it fit—it always does! We’re off to a great start, and I am looking forward to a productive and fun week.

Today we finish our week at Little Wound. This has been an absolute whirlwind! There is a renewed anxiety today since we were told that we would be teaching in the gym and then in the middle school. The topic today is self-esteem and healthy relationships. We got to school at 8:30 for the entire school assembly in the gym. We were introduced and thanked as part of the assembly. Besides an awkward moment of staying out on the gym floor too long after our introduction, everyone made it through this time in the spotlight.

In addition to announcing some art awards, the Special Olympics basketball team from the high school was celebrated for winning the state championship. The team and coach were welcomed out onto the gym floor with each member of the team receiving a star quilt for their accomplishment. The entire school was then invited to come up and shake each team member’s hand. After recognizing one of the guys from a health class teaching session from earlier in the week as a team member, I decided that I wanted to show my respect as well. We went out onto the floor and shook hands also—these kids were so thrilled to be recognized in this way by the entire school.

Much to the students’ relief, our teaching in the gym was changed to teaching Juniors in a classroom. They taught 3 classes in the high school and then went to wrangle about 40 7^th graders in the middle school. They have been required to adapt frequently and teach more than initially planned this week but have remained focused and hard-working throughout. Unfortunately, we could not return to the extended classroom today—they were on a field trip. We did get to see some of the kids during the assembly though, and we also dropped off a box of goodies with a note at the classroom before leaving. One of the activities that was part of the teaching today was to hand out word bubbles with the statement “Love is…” and asking the junior students to complete this statement. They could talk about love for another, themselves, or anything that they wanted. I was surprised that so many of them were willing to do this, and we got some great explanations of love!

We were invited to Mrs. U. B.’s classroom for lunch also. We met a teacher from the SDSU extension that does outreach work related to 4H. She was helping Mrs. U. B. with prom dress alterations. We had the very best lunch, courtesy of Mrs. U. B., of chicken with pickled onions and corn tortillas from the burrito stand across from the school. This was the best chicken I have ever had—delicious! After saying goodbye to Mrs. U. B., we were done for the week.

We went to Singing Horse to see Allyssa and Lily after our time at the school. Lily is one now and toddling all over. She is a happy baby who loves mom and grandma—even with not feeling the best after getting her 12-month vaccinations, she was still bright eyed and smiling. So good to see them! We missed Rosie though—she was in Rapid City for the day. After more shopping and visiting, we returned to the motel for napping prior to our nighttime driving.

Thinking about both the kids at Little Wound and my future nurses, the following quote fits, and I hope that they will keep it in mind:

“You’re so hard on yourself. But remember, everybody has a chapter they don’t read out loud. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the mistakes that gave you wisdom, the suffering that gave you strength. Despite everything, you still move forward. Be proud of this. Continue to endure. Continue to persevere. And remember, no matter how dark it gets, the sun will rise again.”

How can it already be Wednesday? Time is like a vacuum here—standing still but moving forward at the same time. Snow is in the forecast again. This time for Thursday night and Friday. The students will be done with their planned teaching during the day on Thursday, so Friday was going to be sightseeing, visiting, maybe some screenings, and some sort of attempt to help with flood relief. Unfortunately, this is not to be. I can’t risk getting stuck here with 4 students who still need to complete their capstone hours. We are going to have to leave Thursday night to be on the safe side.

We were back to school this morning for first period in the health class. This day’s topic was again a sensitive one—drunk driving and drug and alcohol abuse. I had told Mrs. U. B.earlier in the week that I really did not want the students to be perceived as the “outsiders who know best”. I truly want their teaching to encourage partnership and to be done in a participatory, interactive way. The students asked Mrs. U. B. to say a few words when it came time in their presentation to talk about peer pressure, and boy, did she add to the presentation. Her approach with her students is one of gentle guidance, tough love, and a challenge to uphold the Lakota culture. She has frequently told the high school students to be role models and leaders and to share their new insights with others who may be in need of assistance. Her discussion on peer pressure focused on community and family as the source of the pressure. She also shared that she had been an EMT and discussed some of the meth-related ambulance calls that she experienced. These stories were heartbreaking and extremely sad. Before the main event of having the health class students experience the drunk goggles, they were asked to make a plan—a plan for what they would do if in the situation where drugs or alcohol were present in the environment. Several students wrote on their plan that they would choose not to drink because they did not want to be like their father. The drunk goggles were very exciting for participants, but my students did a great job of driving home the point that even though this was a fun activity, there were very serious implications in real life. Our traveling band of health promotion returned to the extended classroom and provided the same activities.

Just as we were leaving for the day, I received a text from Mrs. U. B. that we had been invited to participate in a radio program with the school’s principal. No time to work up any anxiety about this addition to the plans! Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the radio show site, the broadcast was over, but more new plans were made. Thursday am we would return to the high school to be a part of the circle meet up which involved all of the students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade in the gym. We were then to provide the healthy relationship and self-esteem education to all of the Juniors in the gym with more teaching to follow on the same topic at the middle school.

After teaching, we headed to the Red Cloud Indian School and Big Bats. I saw the following on one of the paintings in the Heritage Center at Red Cloud:

“Sing me a song

A song of promise

For all of my tomorrows”

This spoke to me, just like the poem and prayer at Crazy Horse on Sunday. I couldn’t help but think of how this fits the high school students that we have had the pleasure of interacting with this week. They have so much promise! No one has a guarantee of tomorrow, but with the ongoing guidance (or song) from Mrs. U. B. and others, their futures are filled with hope and promise. They can rise to meet the challenges that exist and be the role models for Lakota culture that are needed on Pine Ridge.

Here is the motto for the rest of the week: “Worrying about what could happen is like worrying about rain (or mud) on a sunny day”. Lots of worrying about carrying prom dresses through the mud, the plan for the rest of the week, the prom dresses being in the health class, etc. However, it is sunny today, and I am not worried about anything.

We drove back to Rosie’s this morning to do her health checkup. We did not get to do it over the summer since I planned poorly and ran out of lancets. The trading post was quiet, and after completing Rosie’s screenings and a discussion about her results and current health, the students went to visit the horses. Seeing the sun out today has raised my spirits, and I feel hopeful for whatever the rest of the week holds! Here are some photos of the store and the animals at Singing Horse:

We did not have to be at the school until later in the day so the later start, even with fitting a screening in, was much appreciated. We started at the extended classroom today. Our plan was to take some prom dresses for the girls in the class to look through and then give the lesson for the day on oral health and healthy lifestyle then head over to the health class for the rest of the STI education in 6^th and 7^th periods. The extended class girls were very excited to look through our dresses. We only brought about 10-15 with us and quickly found out that we should have brought more. I left 3 of the 4 students at the class and took one with me to drive back to the motel to pick up more. This threw our teaching timeframe off, but no worries (see the motto for the rest of the week)—we can always adapt. The three students at the extended class started the oral care and healthy lifestyle education while we were gone to get more dresses, and while two of the students were finishing up, I drove two of the students to the health class so that they could start STI education.

I returned to the extended class as things were wrapping up with several of the girls having found their dress for prom. One of the girls was super thankful, stating that she had been trying to save money to get a dress and by getting one of ours, she would be able to use the saved money for other things that she needs. While I missed the try on, this girl found a beautiful coral colored sparkly dress and when viewing herself in the mirror exclaimed, “I look like a F!$%*^@ princess!”. She also decided to ask one of the guys in the class to prom while we were there, so we got to witness a promposal—it was great! He got a shirt and tie, and she told him that she would braid his long hair for prom. Love it!

We didn’t want to leave but needed to head over to the health class so reluctantly we packed up. Tiffany and Laura had things completely under control and the others joined in to finish the last two health classes. We clarified the plan for the dresses and for Wednesday with Mrs. U. B.. Drunk driving prevention and drug and alcohol abuse were Wednesday’s topics; we were asked again to provide education in her 1^st and 3^rd periods. Also, she asked that all of the prom dresses be in her room for Thursday. The entire school was notified that any girl could make an appointment to come and choose a dress with her available to do alterations at the same time. Works for us—what we do here has to meet the needs of those at the school so if this is what is wanted/needed, we are all for it.

With the sun out today and temperatures around 65, we took the opportunity to go to Badlands National Park (in Interior, not the Red Shirt Table overlook). After a wrong turn on my part, an extra 30 minutes of driving, and a dire need for the bathroom, we made it to the park. We drove all around and stopped to look at several of the overlooks. There were lots of mule deer to see and some other unanticipated wildlife to view. Specifically, as we were driving by a tree (and not slowly), Laura exclaims, “I think I saw a porcupine in that tree!”. I hit the brakes backed up, and sure enough, there was a lone porcupine trying to take a nap in the tree. We all got out to look at him/her; he/she finally had had enough of our excitement and turned over on the branch and went back to sleep. Our final fun in the Badlands was a group photo shoot in the middle of the road with me as the photographer. (There were only like 5 cars in the park at this time of the year so completely safe).

Monday was the start of our health promotion at Little Wound. The school nurse has been the students’ contact, and she put them in touch with the health teacher. We were invited to provide education on Monday to her 1^st, 3^rd, and 6^th periods, with a trip to the extended school classroom somewhere in between. The rest of the week, except for a scheduled period at the extended school classroom, was completely up in the air. After getting our bearings at the school, we found the health class in a trailer just behind the school nurse’s office trailer.

The health teacher, Mrs. U. B., was an absolute and unexpected pleasure. After some quick introductions and a discussion on the topic for the day—STI’s/pregnancy prevention/safe sex—we had permission to do the teaching as planned. The teaching for the day involved an activity around a banana and a condom so we wanted to remain sensitive to any cultural considerations, especially after Mrs. U. B. described herself as being traditional.

Fear/anxiety related to the unknown is a completely reasonable feeling, and most of the students were in this place prior to teaching. There were many questions from them about teaching—how many students? What about the rest of the week (since we only had a plan for Monday)? Etc. While I try to get the point across prior to the trip that a tight plan (and sometimes any plan) for the week prior to arriving is nearly impossible to make, this is a hard pill to swallow for those that are used to planning out their days/hours/minutes months in advance. This is one of the things that I have learned to love about our time at Pine Ridge though. It is freeing to live in the moment—living in the moment brings new opportunities, and with new opportunities come new challenges that allow us to grow as nurse, people, and visitors to this great place.

After completing the education for first period, we were invited to stay for 2^nd period and again for 5^th period with a request to return on Tuesday to provide the same education for her 6^th and 7^th period classes. This was a huge compliment to the students and their teaching! By the second teaching session the students had begun to shed their nervousness and get in their groove. Many of the health class students were extremely shy with this quite sensitive topic, but even with this, the students remained focused and had a more interactive audience in most periods than anticipated. The shyness was demonstrated in a lack of eye contact that the students were not used to—this isn’t out of the ordinary here though. By the 3^rd period, the students had found their favorite health class and had a great group of energetic, curious 14-year olds.

After a lunch at the taco stand across the street from the school (Indian tacos—yum!), we returned to teach at the extended school. We have visited this class every year since 2016, and frankly, this is my favorite. Since last year, the class has moved into a modular home about a block or so further than the original class building. The new building is awesome—computer lab, full kitchen, and lounge area. It was great to see some familiar faces—AJ, Ted, and Melvin were all there, as well as some of the same students. Two of the girls said, “Oh, the nurses are back!”. They had both been certified as CNA’s since last year and were considering nursing as a future option. This is great, and I was happy that they remembered us. Teaching was great—very interactive and lots of good questions! We always feel welcome at the extended school, and the kids are awesome. They are fun to teach and interact with.

The students at this point, after teaching their session 5 times were pretty tired (as was I!). Some commented that they did not realize that teaching could be so tiring. There were also comments about the differences in interaction for some of the classes and how challenging this was. They definitely realized that even if you are teaching the same material, one size fits all cannot be the approach—you must adjust your teaching style to fit the needs of your audience. They did impressive work today—their sensitivity to culture, as well as the nature of the topic, was outstanding.

Our plan for the week is slowly unfolding. We will be back at the extended school classroom tomorrow for a new topic, and Mrs. U. B. has requested that we return to her classroom for 6^th and 7^th periods to complete the STI education for her remaining two classes that we could not fit in today. Also, her classroom will be the prom dress “hub” on Thursday—more to come on that!

We attempted to visit the Historical Center at OLC, but unfortunately, they are putting in new flooring, and it was closed-Bummer! After a brief stop at the motel, we went to see Rosie at Singing Horse. It had again become misty and really foggy. I knew that Rosie had closed last week because of the condition of her driveway so I knew that it would likely not be in great shape still. Understatement—the driveway was extremely muddy and even after having someone grade it, it had some fairly big ruts. I am always up for a challenge so the F150 was put to the test. I know the best approach is to get some speed up and don’t stop if you start to slide or spin your wheels. We made it through without any problem, and was again thankful that we did not travel in a mini-van! While the students shopped in the store, I got to visit with Rosie. Always one of the best parts of the trip!

After a night of uninterrupted, deep sleep, time to hit the road again for groceries and other supplies. Going to Chadron, Nebraska was not an option due to the flooding—the road between Pine Ridge and Chadron was closed due to water over the road the last that I heard. No reason to chance it so Rapid City is the obvious alternative. The day started as overcast and gray with a light rain off and on. Rain is the last thing needed with all of the mud and water. I have never seen the reservation with so much water. All of the creeks are full to the brim, and water is standing in many fields. There is also still snow on the ground in places—a much different landscape than usual.

A trip to Rapid City is always about sightseeing as well as grocery shopping so we started with the sights first. By the time we got to Rapid, the weather had deteriorated further with the clouds quite low and intermittent thick fog. I was told by a student that I was not allowed to use the words damp or moist to describe the weather even though they were most fitting!

The Crazy Horse Monument was our first stop. Since the monument was not able to be seen in the fog, we got a discounted entry fee. The museum is the best part of the visit anyway so we enjoyed walking around and stretching our legs for a bit viewing the Native American art and artifacts. I have become more and more interested in Lakota (and Native American) spirituality with each trip that I take to Pine Ridge. I am fascinated by and respect their views of the creator and beliefs about the equality of all things—whether living or not–and that all have a spirit. I found a prayer and a poem at Crazy Horse that spoke to me:

“Oh Great Spirit, Giver of All Life, You have been always, and before you nothing has been. Look and smile upon us your children, so that we may live this day to serve you. Watch over my relatives, the red, black, white, and brown. Sweeten my heart and fill me with light this day. Give me strength to understand and the eyes to see. Help me Great Spirit, for without you, I am nothing”. –Paul War Cloud

Spirit Helper by Many Crows Woman

“Enjoy your Spirit Helper, and let her be your friend.

She has no eyes so she cannot judge you.

Her feet leave no tracks so you are the only one to know she is there.

She has no hands to meddle in things not about her.

Tell her your hopes, your dreams, your fears, those things that make you happy, things that make you sad.

All these thoughts she will guard very carefully, so when you need them most for strength, this little Spirit Helper will give them back to you.

Take her wherever you go and know that you have a friend”

I find more lessons here than anywhere else about how I want to live my life—as a person who strives to provide service, attempts to understand and see, and stays focused on generosity. No need to see the monument to get the full benefit of this visit!

After Crazy Horse, we did the Wildlife Loop at Custer. At first it seemed that our only wildlife would be the mule deer, but our patience was finally rewarded. We saw buffalo both near the road and in the park’s corrals, prairie dogs, and pronghorn antelope. The most popular—the burros—aren’t around the park during the winter. Our last stop was Mt Rushmore, but again, unfortunately, the fog obscured the view. Oh well! South Dakota is always an adventure!

Another Spring Break means another trip to Pine Ridge. This time with 4 students with a goal to provide health promotion at the high school in Kyle. The reservation experienced a significant blizzard last week and then a sudden warm up which caused major flooding. I have monitored the news, weather, and social media prior to our departure to try to make sure that we would be able to get there and then get around to where we need to in Kyle. A few days before travel, things looked dire with some areas having water over the road, people stuck in their homes due to mud and flooding, and then a significant water main break near the motel. I called the motel to see if their water was on and was relieved when I heard that it was.

Renting the vehicle for travel on Friday involved a large pick up truck with 4-wheel drive to ensure that we would be able to get around the rez. I was initially offered a mini-van—a big no to that! We definitely would have gotten stuck, so really not an option. With all of our donations, the bed of the F150 was completely full. We left at 0430 on Saturday morning for the 18-hour drive. The drive went smoothly until we had to take a lengthy detour off I29 in Iowa that involved about 80+ miles on a two-lane road through farm country. Our goal was to get to the motel before 9pm so that we could eat dinner in the restaurant. We were on track for an 8:30pm arrival when within 1 mile of the motel, we came to where they were working on the water main break. A line of cars were stopped waiting to be let through on the road. After speaking to a police officer, we learned that they would let cars through but it would probably be a 30-minute wait. Our only other option was to turn around and drive through Allen to get to the motel which would have taken 90 minutes. After calling the motel again and finding out that the restaurant closed at 7pm for winter hours, we drove as quickly as possible to a convenience store in Kyle to purchase something/anything for dinner. Five party pizzas, a loaf of bread, some water, and a chocolate cake later, we got back in line by the water main break. We waited an hour and just at the point that I was ready to turn around to drive through Allen, they let the waiting cars through. Even for all of our discomfort in the car and then waiting so close to our destination, I am thinking of those stuck in their houses due to the mud and flooding here.

We quickly unloaded the truck and the overwhelming need to lay down was stronger than my need for pizza. One protein bar later, I turned in for the night—tired but happy and ready for a week of health promotion.  Photos to come!