Today was Thankful Thursday: a tradition we have on the ward of specifically thanking God, at handover prayer, for something He has blessed you with. I thanked God for the rain. Nine hours after that handover, I'm no less thankful for the rain pouring down, clearing the air and refreshing the earth. But my heart is bursting with gratitude for work-work that I love, work that brings hope, work that I'm glad to do.
You could say it was "one of those days". Usually that has a bad connotation, a "hand me a large glass of wine quickly" connotation. But not around here. I had "one of those days"-
One where a small, adorable, newly repaired lip baby was handed to me, just for a cuddle.
One where a seven-year-old patient kept "beeping" at me to move my foot out of the path so she could pass by on her tricycle, occasionally purposefully antagonizing me into tickling her.
Where a five-year-old with a disfigured face and a beautiful laugh wants to sit in my lap and do my work with me, occasionally picking up the mouse to chat in Sousu like it's a phone.
Where our gorgeous 18 year old long-term patient, whose face has been reconstructed slowly after Noma destroyed it, sits me down on a stool to give me a back rub and put my hair in a pony tail (I think she thinks my hair feels weird-it's a little different than hers).
Where you watch Shrek twice, by popular demand, and dubbed into French, no less.
Where your supervisor prays for you after your year end review.
Where the chief of anesthesia, teacup in hand, comes by at your request to check on a baby you're worried about.
But best of all, a shift where you go searching for a patient, only to find a group of them in the hall having an impromtu dance party. The sheer hilarity of 6 patients, ranging in age from mid 40's to 7 years, a doctor and two nurses standing around clapping and chanting "fote, dance, fote dance"(fote being local term for white person) or "Hannah, dance" or "Kadiatu dance"is something that should really have been caught on video-it evades adequate description. Suffice it to say, we gathered a crowd with our noise, we were a hot, sweaty mess by the end, and we just about laughed until we cried. Indeed, laughter is the best medicine, whether you're a patient or a medical professional.
Just another one of those days on the ward. Though another day on the ward is anything but normal-it is something truly special.
Written by Hannah
