Follow along with me as I travel to Sierra Leone to work onboard the Global Mercy Ship as a ward nurse.
*Disclaimer*
All posts below are personal thoughts and experiences regarding my time with Mercy Ships and does not represent the company itself.
Ruth
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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'm cool to Ruth is beyond me. But it was a sweet kind gesture and made me feel like I'm actually connecting to these kids, and maybe making a difference in their hardships here.
Ruth and girl gang!
She wrote me a valentine on Valentines day, gave me a sorry note one day when she was mad, wrote me a goodbye note when I left, and has a million silly filter photos on her phone she took of us during my time. I'm sad I won't be able to see her full course of treatment, or be there for her when she walks or discharges, but I'm happy to know she's in good hands with my fellow crew mates who love her as much as I do.
Ruth laughing at our dancing during Veranda time
The salone song Ruth assigned to me and we'd dance to!
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, ...
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...
Cool! Great! So I’m going to go volunteer in Africa for 2 months with Mercy Ships…what is a Mercy Ship? Mercy Ships is an international charity based organization that operates large non-governmental hospital ships staffed with volunteer professionals to bring hope and healing to developing nations. Since starting in 1978, Mercy Ships visited more than 73 developed and underdeveloped nations world wide, with a focus on countries in Africa. One of the main services Mercy Ships offers are lifesaving medical surgeries for families suffering from disfiguring, painful and preventable diseases. In other words, I will be working on a big floating hospital stationed off the coast of Africa! Patients come to the ship for their surgery and recovery; and from my understanding, I will be stationed as a ward nurse ON the ship. I will be volunteering onboard their newest ship, the Global Mercy. With 6 operating rooms, it weighs approximately 37,000 tons, is 174 meters in length,...
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