May 23, 2023: Montelabate Abbey

 

I woke up in the morning and went down to breakfast. This morning had a slightly different breakfast option. Most mornings we will always have yogurt, Italian donuts, cereal, etc. but today, there were pieces of salami and some fresh cut white bread. I decided to make a little breakfast sandwich with the egg whites from the hard-boiled egg, the bread and the salami. I am always trying to get the most protein out of my breakfast here. 

It's funny, I feel that in America breakfast is highlighted as, "the most important meal of the day", but in Italy, that seems to be dinner just from what I've experienced. It makes the most sense for your breakfast to be a hearty one so it sets your body up well for the day, so although I enjoy the delicious food that I have at dinner, I don't understand the concept of eating multiple courses and so much food before going to sleep. 

We had our final language class with Catia. I was bummed over this because I always really enjoyed our language classes. We learned how to order our food in a restaurant. 

We hopped on the bus to go to Montelabate Abbey. We met the owner, Antonio, at the gate. He relayed a story about a king (that is referenced in the bible) during the time of 300 BC. He was sixty years old and the message highlighted what should be prioritized. He explained that the material riches of this world do not compare to the relationships and values in one's life. 

The Abbey dates back to the 9th century. The Abbey use to rule from Lake Trasimeno up to Gubbio. After the unification of Italy, the Abbey was handed over to the state. Now it is owned by the Gerolamo Galini Foundation based in Genova.  

This foundation was created in 1949 after Gerolamo Gaslini lost his daughter to cancer. The institute is an important Pediatric Hospital and it was solely financed by Senator Gaslini. The structure of the hospital is to progress the scientific research for curing pediatric cancer. 

Pediatric nutrition is something I am very passionate about so this was really touching to me. I worked in the NICU for two years and saw how each feeding that the infants received there set them up for success. My sorority's philanthropy in college was St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and seeing the videos from their clinical nutrition program demonstrating nutrition education to pediatric oncology patients helped convince me to go back to school. I feel that pediatric nutrition and women's health (whether they are pregnant or not) needs more awareness and research. 

He then brought us to the wine cellar that they have there and there were so many paintings all around the room. He highlighted this one painting at the front and said, "but this one is real art!" 

The story around the painting was a woman in her thirties. She was about to get married and her mother passed away. She lost her mind and came to the abbey to paint. The abbey hosts events for those with mental illnesses to come and paint for a short amount of time. The painting looked a little elementary so Antonio asked her, "what is that?!" She explained that it was a portrait of her mother. She went on to say that so many aspects of this world can be replaceable: boyfriends, money, etc. but that a mother can not be replicated or replaced. He was so touched by it and chose to highlight it at the front of the cellar. 

My mother is probably the most important person in my life, so that really resonated with me. She leads by example every day of her life and has always been able to direct me in exactly what to say or advise me on what to do when I'm at a crossroads. Imaging life without her is unimaginable. I have always said how I will be a wreck the day that she leaves this earth, so it is completely understandable how this women's mental sanity was compromised after losing her mother. 

We then walked into the cathedral. Antonio was told that I could sing and insisted that I sing in the cathedral. Even walking around the practically empty space, you could tell that the acoustics were exceptional. No matter how many times you perform, even doing it professionally for as many years as I have, I still get nervous. Singing is deeply personal and vulnerable. It is sharing a part of yourself with other people that could easily be judged. 

I don't sing as much as I use to, as well, so that can make someone feel uncomfortable. But it's just like riding a bike; you get back on, peddle and realize that your body remembers what to do. I took a deep breath and began singing, "Amazing Grace". It was a bucket list kind of experience that I didn't know I had for myself. 

We then had an amazing lunch at the abbey outside. We had a triangular bread local to that area and then a variety of meats and cheese. We also had this bread drenched with olive oil that was so delicious. 

We then went home and I attempted to work on some homework outside on our terrace. It was pretty hot but I did enjoy being out there for a little bit. I saw so many of the red mites which I am not use to seeing back home. 

We then had a great dinner which consisted of a yummy vegetable soup which consisted of vegetables that we grabbed from the market that week. We also had a frittata and a side salad which had olive oil and balsamic. For dessert we had a type of orange cake that was very light and tasty. 

This day taught me about the importance of empathy and community. At the end of the day, every practitioner needs to approach treatment towards a patient like they are their loved one. There will be times when that person may not have family around and needs an advocate for them. I want to be that advocate. That is a huge reason why I wanted to be in the healthcare system. My sister was diagnosed with prolactinoma and her healing time and overall improvement was contingent on the level of care of the nurses, doctors and specialists that she encountered. Even if I do not know this person on a deep level, I need to advocate for them and their health and find the best solution for them. 

A lot of the stories spoken about on this day were about someone's child or mother. These were deeply personal stories and experiences. And though I do not know these people, I can relate and empathize with what they must have been feeling and dealing with. Leading with empathy and care will set me and my future patient up for the most success.