Aloha Adventures

 This is about a patient  girl named Ruth.  This strong, sassy teenage girl who stole all our hearts. She was one of the first patients I took care of during this field service and poor girl has been put through the ringer. For all her time on the ward, she has always been strong willed and loving towards the nurses. She's still is a teenage girl mind you. Sometimes I'd come on shift, and she'd be "mad" at me, or giving me side-eye. Then write me notes or songs, and want to hug and hold hands. She'd get jealous of spending time or playing games with other patients. My goodness! The exhausting emotions to be a labile teenage girl again!  Ruth and her mom prior to admission Ruth's legs getting wrapped by Rehab But in the end, she had a little sign by her bed where she wrote the names of her 3 nurse BFF's. And I was one of them! AH! How cool am I?! hahahah I now maybe understand a small part of when parents are finally cool to their kids. Why I care that

I am so ready to start heading home. As the end is in sight, and I’m missing Garet, it’s so easy for me to want to go home and be comfortable.  And then there’s times like today. Where I walk down to the ward (on my day off mind you!) and the kids yelling “JENNA!!” when they see me walk in. And the parents speaking Mende to me and calling me Aminata, their nickname they’ve given for me. And asking for “snaps” or photos with their kids. And kids placing stickers on my forehead they’ve collected and writing notes. Feels wonderful to be welcomed and loved, you don’t get that often in the ER 😂 I came down to join in the celebration “waka” (walk) off the ship for our discharged kids. And there’s music, and all the families from the wards and chaplaincy, and nurses cheering and dancing and singing in joy for our kids who have healed well enough to continue home. And I’m brought to tears. I’m currently weeping in silence writing this. This cold ER nurse, with little want for connection, cann

 FINALLY! You guys can actually see SOME proof of what I am doing. Unfortunately, (but understandably), photos are not allowed to be taken inside the hospital. Which means I do not have any personal photos to share. HOWEVER , these are some approved photos from Mercy Ships crew and communications team that I can post with you all :) And these are some of the cuties I get to help take care of and know personally! The Mercy Ships crew follows the kids journey and includes photos of their home life, pre-op, and rehab/care.    One of the hardest things for me to get used to, is entertaining these guys all day! Since most have bilateral (or both legs) operated on, they are pretty much confined to their beds. Until they start rolling around like this guy!  Who (by the way) is already discharged and up and walking with rehab!!  So I've played multiple games of Uno, Connect Four, Bingo, and lots of coloring! And while they may have both of their legs casted, these kids (and their caregive

The night is dark and full of terrors... Creepiest  thing about my nightshifts: the kids who slept with their eyes open. Also the nightmares of a kid waking up and yelling in Krio... Part of our service is to work night shifts during each scheduling block. Sometimes they said you could be by yourself and have the whole unit (more than 10 patients) under your care. As a California nurse, who abides by patient ratios, that freaked me out! But fortunately, I was on nights with 2 other nurses. We had some complicated kiddos who needed more monitoring and our unit is full! So I was not working night shift alone-which is nice :) Also, night shift here is just such a different vibe. First off-everyone is sleeping! As an ER nurse, night shift is usually "slower", but you're also working the entire time because patients keep coming in. None of my patients were sleeping during my ER shifts.  Secondly, our shifts are shorter! My night shift started at 10pm and went until 7:30am. The