Hand on Heart

Frida, a nurse from the UK shared this story on her blog today - another life changed through surgery on the ship.

I want to tell you about a 19 year old patient we discharged today. He came in with severe burnt contractions on both arms, leaving his arms fixed in a bent position. Two years ago his house caught on fire, and to be honest, he is lucky to be alive. Since his surgery, where skin grafts were taken from his leg and grafted to his arms and armpits, he has had to wear uncomfortable splints to keep his arms elevated and he's had to do hourly exercises to stretch and bend his arms and shoulders.

In the beginning of his recovery I had time to sit with him and assist with his exercises, and though at first he complained about it, it wasn't long before his attitude changed. That day he was able to eat by himself, even if it took a lot of effort to make the spoon reach his mouth. I told him that after 3 days he should be able to eat with his hands. He laughed at me. At the end of the day, after hours of exercises, he told me he should be able to eat with his hand the next day. That was with the left hand, the good one. I told him to keep exercising and he would be able to eat with his right hand after three days. When that day arrived I went down to the hospital to see him, and didn't I see him eat with his right hand! Since then I have been encouraging him and I've told him that before he leaves us he should be able to place his hand over his heart. Every day I would ask him how he's doing and he would smile and shake his head, still a long way to go.

As I returned from the islands this morning he called out to me from the outpatient's tent, and as I went up to greet him he told me he would be leaving to go back home today. As we said goodbye he placed his right hand on his heart, with a smile on his face, and I have no words to express how I felt. Thank you God for your faithfulness and your loving care!