Portland nurse makes emotional return home after treating burn victims in Gaza

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Monica Johnston was exhausted as she got off the plane at PDX late Saturday night. The Portland nurse came back from spending three weeks at the only functioning hospital in Gaza and not knowing when she’d be able to leave once the border was closed in Rafah two weeks ago.

Johnston was one a medical mission organized by the Palestinian American Medical Association as part of a team of 19. She cared for patients injured in the Israel-Hamas war while working with few resources.

“People have explosive injuries, and we are giving them Tylenol, we’re giving them Ibuprofen for an arm that’s been blown off or burns on 30% of their body,” she told KOIN 6 News. “We went to find there was no soap, no hand sanitizer, no linens to put your patients on. So we would come into the ICU and find patients on these plastic sheets that are degrading, laying in a pool of blood and fluids and nothing to change them on.”

She said her team brought 300 bags of supplies with them — but it was still not enough. She was only supposed to be there for a week but while she was there Israel closed the main border.

Johnston decided to make the best of it.

“What I’m going to do is continue to work and do the best work I can while I’m here. I’m going to keep myself as safe as possible. I have my team,” she said.

Just a few days ago, the US Embassy said she was able to go back to the United States.

But getting out wasn’t easy. As she traveled through the war zone she saw even more of what was underway.

“We can see off to our left side a puff of smoke. We can hear all the rounds of artillery and knowing we had to drive parallel to that. Once we got the green light that was scary, hoping I made it this far. Will I make it the rest of the way?” she said.

While she’s grateful to be home in Portland, she said it was difficult to leave some of her team behind.

“I felt tremendously guilty and tremendously afraid, as I do this moment, for the well being and safety for everyone that’s there.”

When she arrived at Portland International Airport, family and friends were there. And they, too, weren’t sure if she would come home safely.

“I couldn’t live without the light in my life. Every day would wouldn’t ever be the same without her,” her son, Gavin Johnston, said.

Her partner, Brad Allan, said Monica Johnston “is one of the rare human beings I think that actually, truly, honestly loves her job. Every single day.”

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