1.       “Now more then ever, patients themselves feel removed and forgotten, powerless in the face of the institutions that were created to help them” (Alvord 2).

2.       “We should treat our patients the same way we would treat our own relatives” (Alvord 16). 

3.       “And the longer I stayed outside the sacred mountains the more I adopted “white” behavior. I felt I was losing touch with my culture, and inside I mourned this loss” (Alvord 52).

 

I found this reading interesting. It interesting to see the difference between two worlds. I talked to my sister-in-law (who works as a surgical technician and now in school for nursing) about what I read. She conferred some of the things said and added others.

I find Alvord's style very interesting compared to Tweedy and Ofri's. Tweedy and Ofri used individual stories, but Alvord introduces bigger ideas like education or leaving the reserve and using multiple stories to explain her experience with them. She provides the Navajo belief in contrast to the Western idea.

“Although I was a good surgeon, I was not always a good healer.” (3)

“It is my hope and vision that groups of people can learn from one another—that the culture of medicine can ;earn from the culture of Native Americans, and that both can be richer for the experience.” (3) 

”Decide,” the world whispers to them, “you must choose.” (24) 

I find it very interesting that Alvord is walking a very fine line between two very different communities. She does have the advantage that she grew up white at the Navajo Reservations as she is more accepted. Her hopes are to come back and integrate both medical practices to provide the best care possible for Navajo people at the reservation.

 

2.       “Beauty to Navajos means living in balance and harmony with yourself and the world. I means caring for yourself—mind, body, and spirit—and having the right relationships with your family, community, the animal world, the environment—earth, air and water—our plant and universe” (186).

3.       “The Navajo view is a macro view, whereas Western medicine often takes a micro view” (187).

I find these chapters interesting because they don't really concern her experience in medicine, but her experience as a patient. The last two quotes above show that her experience as a patient reinforces her beliefs as a doctor that Western medicine combined with Navajo beliefs is a special treatment.

1.       “What Tayo could feel was powerful, but there was no way to be sure what it was” (114).

2.       “Suddenly the feeling was there, as strong as it had been that day in the jungle. “He loved me. he loved me, and I didn’t do anything to save him” (114).

4.       “He wanted to walk until he recognized himself again” (143).

“Things which don’t shift and grow are dead things.” (116)

“It is the people who belong to the mountain.” (118)

“I’m walking back to belonging… happiness… long life.” (133)

I found this section very interesting, I feel as if Tayo is growing closer to the earth and his surroundings. He’s realizing it takes many different factors to achieve harmony in his life.