Double the trouble

In nursing, it seems that things come in waves. Sometimes we see a lot of one thing at once, and then we won't see it again for a while. This makes perfect sense for infectious disease, but it happens through out all illnesses and injuries. For instance, I remember seeing many dog bites in a short period of time, then not seeing any for a year. This happens on the wards on board as well. Maybe it's because they schedule it that way, maybe not. But often, it seems many patients become friends as they face their post op days together. This happened with two little 3 year old cleft lip/palate boys.

They both were little rascals pre-op and taught us to be very patient post op. I took care of one of them a lot. I was warned pre-op that he cried for 10 min after an axillary temperature was taken. So, it didn't take long to figure out that he was going to be a tough patient. As predicted, he was very fussy post op and would cry any time a nurse would approach. As time passed, he would let a nurse approach his bed with out crying, but as soon as the blue gloves were donned, he would begin to cry. Then, as he became more comfortable he would let us play with him, and even let us pick him up and hold him. He would let me hold him on our trips to deck seven in the afternoon. He loved looking over the rail at the fish near the perimeter of the ship and loved waving at passing boats. He would point at different things and make the universal cleft lip grunt. It is a secret language between all cleft kids, they all know it, a grunting tone with a point to communicate their needs. As they heal, their language will be able to develop and they will learn to communicate normally. 

It was so fun to watch the two little guys together. They would cry together and play together. Their mama's would help each other out by watching each others boys as they left the bed to shower. As the healed they both began to warm up to the nurses in the same way. It was so fun to play with them. About a week post op, cleft lip/palate patients get their bandages removed and their new face is revealed. This happened first to the little guy that I took care of a lot, then to his little friend. It was amazing to see them look at one another and point at their lip where the bandage was removed and then point at their self and tell their little story in grunts. It seemed they were telling of how there was a bandage on me too then it was taken off and now we both are free to smile and be happy boys!