Plastics

Today, I floated to a different ward. The B Ward is really slow because there are no more general surgeries taking place and we just have some long term patients still on the ward. The eye surgery patients have been discharged and since its the weekend, we aren't getting new patients. Because we now have more than one plastics surgeon, A Ward is super busy and so for my evening shift, I went there today.

I was so happy to see many of the people I had met the day I visited the Hope Center (I still haven't gotten a chance to go back there). They all remembered me and were so happy to see me again. My Krio is much better since I was last there and many of them were impressed with how much I had learned in such a short time. I also was working with Harry today and he too was very proud :) It gives him such pleasure to see how effective his teaching has been. Many of the patients on this ward have had burn contracture releases. Burn contractures are caused after severe burns that are not treated properly. It is the tightening of the skin after second or third degree burns and as a result the limb or area has restricted movement. We have patients ranging from ages 4 to 40 and some of the older patients have had the contracture for over 20 years. Many of the contractures are on the hands and wrists and elbows, but we also have a few on the neck, face, and eyes. The release is done either with Z-plasty, a technique for loosening the skin without a graft, or by using a skin graft. Most grafts are taken from the thigh which causes the patient to have two wounds. Two wounds that have to heal and two wounds that cause the patient pain. Some patients also have K-wires put into their limbs. K wires are pins that are put into bones to prevent them from returning to a position. Most of the wrist contracture patients have K wires. Thier wrists prior to surgery were bent in nonfunctional positions and the K wires hold the joint in place until proper healing takes place. These patients get alot of physiotherapy and remain on bedrest for a few days so the grafts can hold and healing can begin.

I loved being there today, and am very excited to see what the end results of these individuals are. Both Regina, Josephine and Hawa from the Hope Center visit were there and I'm going to bring them the pictures of us tomorrow.

It was a great day!
Oh! and I got a 73 on my first Krio exam! I guess that's not so bad for just learning. Harry says I'm ready to learn a new set of phrases. I'm very excited!
Tenki papa God fu tiday! Mi na bohku gladi!