As the temperature reached 106 degrees today in Calcutta, I had another eventful day at work.
It was nice to walk in today and see all of the patients with new white t-shirts on with deep orange pants. I made my rounds saying good morning to everyone and as I approached Hamit in bed #15, he started to sing! It was pretty amazing. He had just had a bath, but his wounds had not yet been dressed, so he didn't have his new white shirt on yet. He just had a blue and white cloth wrapped around his waist. He was in such a great mood. All smiles and singing, I really couldn't believe it. He was so happy that he was feeling better. I spent a great deal of time with him. He really wanted me to massage is arms and back and didn't want me to stop. I must have massaged him for a good 50 minutes to an hour. He dozed a little, but as soon as I stopped he rolled to the other side and asked for more. I was happy to oblige. As it was Sunday, they set up to have the weekly mass. As mass was about to start, Hamit was singing away! With the help of Sister Teresina, we got him to quiet down. I spent most of the mass massaging him. When the mass was over, the nurse was planning on dressing his bedsore and foot.
But as soon as mass ended and lunch was about to be served, Philippe, a young volunteer from Chile, showed up with the woman who goes out to find people on the street that need help. They came in with a young boy, probably 13 or 14 years old. He was wrapped in a blue plastic tarp when they brought him in in a wheelchair. His hair was very long (I ought it was a girl when I first saw him).
They immediately took him into the shower room and I went along to help. He started crying and screaming as soon as they stripped him and started to shave his head and bathe him. He was missing his left arm. There was a very small stump that was raw and open and infested with maggots. I held his right hand and arm to prevent him from interfering with Philippe shaving his head. One of the sisters also helped along with Sunil. It took a while to get his head all shaved and his body washed. After drying him off we put him in a longi (a skirt type garment that many men wear) and walked him into the infirmary for Teresa the nurse to treat and dress the wound where his arm once was. There was plenty more crying and screaming as she cleaned and tried to extract some of the maggots. She stuffed iodine soaked gauze into the wound (that should draw out the remaining maggots in the next day or so) and bandaged up the wound. Philippe and I then dressed him and walked him out to his bed #20 (the guy that was previously there died early this morning). Pilar, the physical therapist from Spain who has been volunteering there for a while fed him lunch, which he was very excited about and certainly quieted down to enjoy. I left him there with Pilar and Philippe and look forward to seeing how he is doing in the morning.
After that I checked in with Swapan and Hamit before calling it a day, and what a (hot) day it was!
I can't believe that this Saturday will be my last day of work before leaving Calcutta on Sunday. It's going to be tough to leave these men.
Oh, and an update on my dear friend in Bed #11 - yesterday there were two men who came by that spoke the same language and seemed to get a bunch of information out of him as to where he's from and his family members. They are going to try to contact his daughter and see if they can find someone that would will willing and able to take care of him. So after some tears yesterday, he seemed a bit happier today. I do hope someone comes of it.
It was nice to walk in today and see all of the patients with new white t-shirts on with deep orange pants. I made my rounds saying good morning to everyone and as I approached Hamit in bed #15, he started to sing! It was pretty amazing. He had just had a bath, but his wounds had not yet been dressed, so he didn't have his new white shirt on yet. He just had a blue and white cloth wrapped around his waist. He was in such a great mood. All smiles and singing, I really couldn't believe it. He was so happy that he was feeling better. I spent a great deal of time with him. He really wanted me to massage is arms and back and didn't want me to stop. I must have massaged him for a good 50 minutes to an hour. He dozed a little, but as soon as I stopped he rolled to the other side and asked for more. I was happy to oblige. As it was Sunday, they set up to have the weekly mass. As mass was about to start, Hamit was singing away! With the help of Sister Teresina, we got him to quiet down. I spent most of the mass massaging him. When the mass was over, the nurse was planning on dressing his bedsore and foot.
But as soon as mass ended and lunch was about to be served, Philippe, a young volunteer from Chile, showed up with the woman who goes out to find people on the street that need help. They came in with a young boy, probably 13 or 14 years old. He was wrapped in a blue plastic tarp when they brought him in in a wheelchair. His hair was very long (I ought it was a girl when I first saw him).
They immediately took him into the shower room and I went along to help. He started crying and screaming as soon as they stripped him and started to shave his head and bathe him. He was missing his left arm. There was a very small stump that was raw and open and infested with maggots. I held his right hand and arm to prevent him from interfering with Philippe shaving his head. One of the sisters also helped along with Sunil. It took a while to get his head all shaved and his body washed. After drying him off we put him in a longi (a skirt type garment that many men wear) and walked him into the infirmary for Teresa the nurse to treat and dress the wound where his arm once was. There was plenty more crying and screaming as she cleaned and tried to extract some of the maggots. She stuffed iodine soaked gauze into the wound (that should draw out the remaining maggots in the next day or so) and bandaged up the wound. Philippe and I then dressed him and walked him out to his bed #20 (the guy that was previously there died early this morning). Pilar, the physical therapist from Spain who has been volunteering there for a while fed him lunch, which he was very excited about and certainly quieted down to enjoy. I left him there with Pilar and Philippe and look forward to seeing how he is doing in the morning.
After that I checked in with Swapan and Hamit before calling it a day, and what a (hot) day it was!
I can't believe that this Saturday will be my last day of work before leaving Calcutta on Sunday. It's going to be tough to leave these men.
Oh, and an update on my dear friend in Bed #11 - yesterday there were two men who came by that spoke the same language and seemed to get a bunch of information out of him as to where he's from and his family members. They are going to try to contact his daughter and see if they can find someone that would will willing and able to take care of him. So after some tears yesterday, he seemed a bit happier today. I do hope someone comes of it.
Jim
ReplyDeleteBrad here. I have finally been reading your blog entrys...very moving and amazing these experiences...I woke up with acid reflux feeling sorry for myself because of the burning in my throat and now that I've read your blog, all I can do is count my blessings....MUCH love to you, BRAD