CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea Rachel Consoli went out to stretch her legs on the streets of South Sudan. She took a deep breath and put one foot outdoors. After spending two weeks in a convent delivering infants with nuns, this stroll was crucial. Her legs, along with her personal minds, introduced her to the bridge earlier than she may even step onto the bridge, she was stopped in her tracks by a younger man. You possibly can’t go any additional, he stated. You’re a spy. She turned and all of a sudden felt the chilly stress of metal on her head.

Now cease.

An origin story

Consoli is an obstetrics and gynecology surgeon at Garrison Humphreys, Brian D. Allgood Military Group Hospital.

She stated that being the oldest of eight kids elevated her love for caring for different individuals. Mother would depart her to deal with her youthful sister and brothers whereas she ran errands. Additionally, her father was a surgeon, he would take the kids with him to the clinic and permit them to dispense pharmaceuticals to the sufferers.

I used to be thrilled when dad requested us to assist out on the clinic, Consoli stated. It was an honor to serve and it was an honor to assist human beings enhance their well being. I do know I am the oldest and my dad letting us assist him obtained me to the place I’m now.

As a fourth-grader, Consoli was assigned to put in writing her autobiography for the category and stated she knew even then that she would journey the world as a health care provider and gynecologist delivering infants. At age 9, Consolis’ plan started by serving to lepers in Molokai and the island of Hawaii, because it was the one unique place she knew.

As Consoli grew up, her ardour for therapeutic and serving humanity by no means died. She graduated from medical faculty in 1995, after which she participated in two fellowships: 1 yr in robotics and minimally invasive gynecological surgical procedure and a couple of years in pediatric and adolescent gynecological surgical procedure. She additionally accomplished her grasp’s diploma in public well being.

My fellowship in pediatric and adolescent gynecologic surgical procedure centered on the right way to do reconstructive surgical procedure on women born and not using a vagina or who had been born with some abnormalities within the genital or pelvic space, Consoli stated. We had been tasked with the mission of caring for them. We additionally discovered the right way to work with 16-year-old women who haven’t began their cycle but. We are able to see what is going on on along with her, if she wants surgical procedure to repair the issue or if we have to give her hormones.

After finishing greater than a decade of upper schooling, Consoli joined the American School of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which creates pointers for healthcare professionals and academic supplies for sufferers, offers profession assist, facilitates packages to enhance ladies’s well being, and advocates for members and sufferers. She then started touring the world as a voluntary locum (substituting for members of the medical employees at hospitals, clinics or physician’s workplaces when they’re sick or on depart). Being a locum opened doorways for her to ship infants and create the Protected Motherhood program (a program that gives expectant moms with ultrasounds, month-to-month checkups and details about birthing procedures). This system was established in locations the place maternal mortality charges had been highest. She gave start on each continent besides Antarctica, however solely as a result of they do not permit pregnant ladies there. She joked that she could not go there except she snuck in a pregnant girl.

She has traveled internationally to locations together with: Uganda, Syria, Guam, China and Barrow AK working among the many inhabitants and coaching practitioners and midwives on the right way to efficiently carry out C-sections, growing Pap smear packages and lowering maternal mortality charges. She stated her admiration for medical doctors and nurses grew as she watched them work 15 to 16 hours a day, with smiles on their faces, as they saved lives and introduced lives into the world.

Answering the decision

Consoli stated she is happy with how effectively her profession has matched a dream she had as a fourth-grader. Nevertheless, one ingredient was nonetheless lacking, the vacation spot that may put the icing on the cake, South Sudan. Consoli has wished to stay in South Sudan since his first yr. So when the Catholic Medical Mission Council known as to say they wanted a gynecologist, all she may say was sure.

I used to be the one physician for tons of of 1000’s of individuals, other than a Ugandan practitioner, who cared for adults with HIV, Consoli stated. For seven months we heard rumors that nationwide safety (known as N safety) was coming to patrol the streets. Quickly everybody started to imagine that the rumors had been simply that, rumors, unfold to maintain kids from misbehaving and males from getting drunk and disobedient.

Someday when Consoli was in her clinic working with pregnant ladies. She went into the room to get a blood stress cuff, and when she got here out, they had been all gone.

How did 50 pregnant ladies escape so shortly, requested a confused Consoli.

She seemed across the room nonetheless unable to search out her sufferers, then noticed her midwife working in the direction of her mouth, hey, hey physician, motioning for her to get down. Because the midwife approached, Consoli heard her say that the safety was actual. Consoli stated she heard increase, increase and shortly after ping ping, like bombs falling and exploding.

Consoli could not imagine the assault was occurring. The frightened midwife requested if there was wherever to go because the troopers had been combating inside their compound. Ladies had been actually saved by grace. Consoli noticed a Catholic priest standing on the door of the clinic, holding out his hand to them, able to take the ladies to a safer place. Main the clergymen, the ladies adopted him to his church. Individuals had been all working in panic. The ladies ended up hiding within the bushes underneath a tarp and waited two weeks for assist to reach. Throughout this time, the little boy sneaked out from underneath the tarp and introduced mangoes and bananas in order that the ladies wouldn’t starve.

When the tarp was lastly lifted, the solar shone by it, revealing the United Nations staff who had been coming to assist. All of them placed on bulletproof vests, loaded them right into a tank and took them to a different, safer village the place the nuns welcomed them.

The nuns stated to return work with our physician and they’re going to take excellent care of you, Consoli stated.

Grateful for the refuge, Consoli stayed and labored with the nuns. Just a few weeks after n-security handed by her previous village, Consoli determined it was time to get out and stretch her legs.

One Sunday after church, Consoli went out to stretch her legs on the road of South Sudan. She took a deep breath and put one foot outdoors the monastery. Her legs, with their very own minds, led her to the bridge. Earlier than she may take a step, an 18-year-old man appeared in entrance of her.

You possibly can’t go any additional, he stated. You’re a spy.

The bridge was a restricted space however had no markings. She tried to elucidate that she was a health care provider. When that did not work, she stated he wasn’t a police officer and did not have the authority to take her into custody.

She turned to return to the village and noticed him attain behind a tree. Her physique froze and as if in sluggish movement, the insurgent pulled out a machine gun and pointed it straight at her head.

Now cease, stated the insurgent boy, the boy was a member of the Arrow Boy militia.

With each intention of staying alive, Consoli did what was requested of her. A person with a motorbike approached and she or he was informed to sit down on the again of the bike. Reluctantly, she crossed her leg and sat on the seat. Forty-five minutes turned the nation into one thing acquainted as they headed into the jungles of the Congo. She heard tales of ladies being taken to the Congo and raped, and her uncontrollable heartbeat throbbed underneath her fingertips.

The bike arrived at its vacation spot, the Insurgent Boys compound, and Consoli stated she observed there have been about 75 males and no ladies. The ratio of males to ladies made her much more unsure what her final result could be.

Darkness started to fall and Consoli tried to discover a solution to escape and return to the monastery. She informed them how she saved the lifetime of the pregnant spouse of their leaders.

I took care of the chief of the Arrow Boys, Consoli pleaded. I took care of his spouse when the kid was dying. I had a caesarean part. Now she and her baby are alive. They did not know what to do with me saving the lifetime of their chief’s spouse.

One of many Arrow Boys lastly relented and allowed her to name the bishop of the convent who informed the rebels that she was a nun and American, so she was to not be touched. Consoli performed alongside and talked about that members of the embassy would marvel the place he was if he did not return at night time. She was launched with a promise to ask the top of the embassy for weapons for the revolt.

The bishop paid for my launch, I used to be price $200, laughed Consola. I used to be there for a full 12 hours and it was very anxious. Once I look again on it now, it looks as if a dream.

She spoke to the ambassador on the lodge and made certain he fulfilled his promise to request the weapons. She stated he responded with a wink and stated, doubly famous. Even with the incident, Consoli stated she is going to return to South Sudan as a result of she likes it there and the ladies fill her coronary heart with a lot pleasure.

By no means cease dreaming

At present, Consoli works at Camp Humphreys as an OB-GYN at BDAACH on a three-year volunteer tour. The chance introduced itself to her when she utilized to be amongst our heroes within the Journal of America Medical Affiliation (JAMA). She was supplied Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea, and she or he selected Korea as a result of her sister is a instructor at Osan Air Drive Base. That is her first time working with service members and she or he is worked up. She will be discovered delivering the infants of troopers, spouses and civilians and continues to put on a smile on her face as she does so.

Consolis’ fourth grade dream turned her actuality and as she saved her sights set on being a servant to others, the door opened extensive for her to proceed her therapeutic on a world scale.

Exit into the world and have braveness, stated Consoli. Be sort to one another and fulfill your desires. If in case you have a dream to do one thing, then work arduous to make it occur. On the finish of the day if you end up fulfilled as a human being every part else is sensible. Maintain an open thoughts since you by no means know what the subsequent particular person goes by in life. I’m privileged and honored to be right here with navy households. I’m not a hero, however I imagine that I’ve had the chance to serve and work with some. I really like you all very a lot.