I spent a week this winter in Cuba!

Are you ready to call the authorities?  Do you think I went over the deep end and am now living the dangerous life of an outlaw?

Not so much.

I received an email from a friend in November announcing a trip to Cuba to learn about integrative mental health and the Cuban healthcare system.  I looked at the email and dismissed the idea as crazy as I was already planning a Thanksgiving trip to Peru.  But the thought kept nagging at me.  Oh I wanted to go so badly.  Then our newest issue of National Geographic arrived and the cover story was about……CUBA!  It was a sign.

Those of you who know me personally, know that I am a determined woman so I begged and said “pretty please” and convinced the Department of Family Medicine to send me on this trip.  THANK YOU!

So I spent an exhausting week touring clinics, mental health day treatment centers and hospitals.  We met over 40 family doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and psychologists.  We learned that in Cuba it is common for people with mental health issues to receive acupuncture, herbal remedies, Bach flower essences, yoga instruction, meditation instruction, and comprehensive day treatment.  The elderly can participate in literary groups and theater workshops to keep their minds sharp and reduce isolation.  Children with developmental disabilities can participate in dance, music and art therapy.  Families receive intense training on how to support family members suffering with mental illness.

Is it total paradise?  Of course not.  It’s a poor country.  There are limited resources and simple things like soap and coffee are rationed and hard to get.  As we were leaving the country, the person who checked us in to our flight offered to give us great seats on the plane if anyone could give him an antacid.  These are not ideal conditions.

It is a country full of well educated, proud, creative, and talented people who are extremely generous with their experiences and knowledge.  I learned so much that I am still getting through my notes and follow-ups weeks later.  Incidentally, I also enjoyed some of the most amazing live music I have ever heard and ate some super gourmet meals.  I befriended a quirky artist and his wife and still receive emails from them.  I also pushed my Spanish skills to the limit and realized I really do speak that darn language after all.

All of this was so fun and interesting but the thing that struck me the most about my trip was the focus on compassion and love.  Not just of the patient but of each other.  Every time a co-worker was introduced, we heard how invaluable and talented he/she was.  Co-workers hugged each other and practitioners hugged their patients.  Treatment was guided by the patient’s individual needs rather than just a set protocol.  Patients had the chance to try many different things all at the same time and enjoy an abundance of resources.

I hope that we can create a healthcare system like this (but with an unlimited supply of soap and coffee).  I have already started to listen to the patient’s unique needs with more attention and interest.  I touch people’s shoulders to show encouragement and I have started telling co-workers how much I appreciate and admire them.  I have a renewed passion for sharing my experience with yoga and meditation even when I fear the patient might think I’m crazy.  Sometimes that even helps.

So when you are in the role of patient, I encourage you to ask your caregivers “what else can I try” or “what more can I do.”  For those of you who have the honor of being caregivers, keep the patient’s uniqueness at the center of your treatment plan, learn as much as you can about other treatment modalities, and don’t be afraid to show love and compassion for your patients, your colleagues, and most importantly for yourself.