Ugh

If you ever want to be humbled quickly, welcome to D Ward- we have screaming babies and toddlers, language and cultural barriers that leave you stymied, tumors and goiters galore, Burkitt's lymphoma, and your choice of any number of frustrating and discouraging things.

Now, I challenge you to fit the nursing you know into that picture.

I couldn't keep my head on straight today. I thought day two would be easier, but for the record, it was more overwhelming.

One of the nurses said it's so hard to explain to other people. I mean, the patients still puke, bleed, and cry- the universal behavior of babies and children. Shoot, the universal behavior of sick people everywhere! And sometimes healthy people too. And yet it's different. It's more emotionally draining. It's frustrating in new ways. It requires more creativity with supplies, diet, and toys. It requires a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of drugs, diseases, and procedures. It's... hard to describe.

They say D Ward is a discouraging place right now. I'm certainly feeling that way both as a newcomer to ward nursing period and a newcomer to this place, but I'm holding out hope that things will look up soon. This is a good group of people who knows who is in ultimately in charge and yet still extends seemingly unlimited grace . That knowledge is encouraging.

What is also encouraging is that I got to chat (again!) with Peleke tonight. I won't even try to tell you how happy that makes me :)