Things I have learnt

Last week I learnt some valuable lessons...if you are going to do a plumbing job (no matter how minor it is or how certain you are that it's not going to flood the kitchen leaving you completely drenched sitting in a big puddle trying to block a broken high pressure water pipe with your finger) ALWAYS switch off the water supply and drain the system beforehand and/or make sure there is someone else in the house to help if things go horribly wrong!

I have learnt this lesson the hard way. Maybe through reading my blog, you won't have to...you see, this hasn't been such a waste of time afterall...

I said in an earlier post that when I'm on the wards I almost have to switch off some part of my emotions so that I can be of some use. It is important though that you remember just how horrible things are because sometimes you are inclined to say "this isn't so bad" about things that clearly are. Just to illustrate how bleak some of these kids' lives are, for some of them the highlight of their day/week is being visited by me - now that can't be good...

Last week I came across a guy lying in bed on his back (I presume this is how he spends every day), his teeth were rotten and as far as I could tell he was deaf, dumb and blind (as well as being physically disabled). I presume he gets fed when it is time, and has his nappy changed when he has soiled it - that's pretty much his life. I found myself asking what the point was - what good was it to him or anyone else that he was alive...I'm not sure I have an answer to that question...but there is something of which I'm certain - he is a person and he wants attention just like anyone else...when I touched his hands he reached out and held mine and didn't want to let go...I sat with him for half an hour or so and when it was time to leave I had to let him go and walk away...I could still see him reaching into the air as I left the ward...sometimes things can be quite tough here...