April 1, 2009
Blood and guts do not bother me, I can watch my hand being cut and burnt (when its numbed) and am excited at the surgery scenes on TV, but this week ooooo I had problems.
I have been finding out that social work in Africa is quite different than the States. The resources and people are not always readily available and so the role of the social worker is stretched to fit the need.
Lately, the need has been medical nurse and masseuse. Every Wednesday I make house visits with Holy Cross Hospice. The nurses attend to the medical needs while the social worker assess the patients living conditions, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. Sometimes however, all hands are needed on the medical end...
Today I took temperatures, blood pressures and helped massage a man whose muscles have been eaten away by AIDS. His legs have really bad cramps sometimes that force his muscles to contract and stay that way. Last week while I was visiting him, all hands were required and I helped the nurses push one leg down at a time while they formed a plaster cast that would help to keep his leg straight. The man cried out in profuse pain and flailed his arms to try to get us off. Seeing this pain, being apart of his pain - now that made me sick. This week when we returned, the cast had been broken and his leg was still bent. One of the cramps he had was so strong it broke the plaster cast. But this week while massaging his legs, I could see how he was already able to flex more. So it is working, but we will need to make a new cast.
This virus is a killer. I walked through this house seeing pictures of a dream couple on the wall. Wedding pictures where both faces shined so bright. Then turning the corner I saw that same healthy, handsome, strong man from the pictures transformed into the sickest man I've ever seen laying flat on his back in a diaper. He is now totally dependant on his wife for every need. This virus is a killer.
WOW! Erica, it must be really difficult to do some of the things that need doing, but you have always had such an inner strength (especially with Christ in you). I admire what you are doing and continue to pray for you. Love you, Pam
ReplyDeleteI wonder if your dad has received any calls?