from the ward

An update from deck 3..

The last couple weeks I've been working on A-Ward in the land of orthopedics and plastics. 

These patients are recovering from bone surgery of some kind or release of contractures caused by burn injury. There is a great number of children here whose legs are severely bowlegged, not quite sure what the cause is and how much of it is related to nutrition (in layman terms:) ) So, I've been taking care of some awfully cute kiddos in casts! Being an adult nurse, though, its been an adjustment working in a ward full of noise and crying babies and their mommas:) Amidst the chaos, God's doing some incredible work--I've recently been told that a couple of our ortho kids on the ward are walking for the very first time!! 

I've been a little frustrated lately in the lack of verbal communication due to the language barrier, and discouraged about developing patient relationships--my ultimate love of nursing.

God knows my needs... 

These last couple weeks I've cared for the same three guys. Two of them are teenagers whose beds are side by side. They are a lot of fun, laughing and joking with each other and the staff. They would both light up and give me the biggest smile when they'd see me come on shift and then ask if I would be back tomorrow when my shift was over. "Alexander" was how they called me. 

God blessed me through my patients.

I've also been caring for a 33 year-old man who suffered a severe electrical burn a year ago. He lost both his hands to the accident. He requires extensive wound care every day. But, the coolest thing is that due to all the wound care he's been getting here, his wounds are healing remarkably well and it looks like he won't need a skin graft after all!! Praise God!!

Me and my translator Timothy with a patient at screening back in February