Everyone is talking. The patients sit all around us in the recovery room. It is rounding in the true sense of the word. The surgeons review the cases and tell what they want post-op. Then the action begins. Dressings come down. Everyone helps for that. Then we’re on to cleaning the wounds. They wash in the sink with soap and water and then we redress them. Our dressings consist of Adaptic and antibiotic ointment. We have boxes of sterile 4 x 4’s which has been great. These were left from previous trips.
The locals have given us their “Kling” wrap. This is cut from bolts of very loose woven cheesecloth using the same giant scissors that I am using for the splinting. The strips of cheesecloth are then hand-rolled and autoclaved for sterilization. Quite a process.
After the wounds are redressed they get their exercise instruction. I am learning in Bengali how to say straight and hold. And I can count, too! Ak = 1, dhu = 2, tin = 3, chir = 4, and phach = 5. They seem to enjoy that I am trying to learn some of the basics of their language. Many come to me and ask me how I am in Bengali so I will respond, ”I am fine”. They always laugh so I have a feeling my pronunciation needs work.
It is a busy time for the next 2-3 hours and then things begin to settle down. They are all patient and wait their turn watching each other and encouraging each other along. And when one of them gets his finger all of the way down they hold it up so others can see, proud that they can move. On to success!
Comments