Sunday, 13 April 2014

Healing wounds

As the last plastics patient was discharged from the ward, I was so happy, that was it I had done my job, all the dressings had finished! but I also felt a bit of sadness as I realised I would not be seeing the patients every day that I would only get to see them occasionally while they came back to have their physio. The last few patients took awhile for their wounds to heal, in that time I got to know them better. It was great to see them and chat to them every day while I did their dressings! 
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 This was the second block of plastics patients, we screened them at the beginning of January and then surgeries began the next day until March when the Plastic surgeon had to leave. In that time we had over a 100 patients have plastic surgery, to release burn contractures, to remove neurofibromas,  to remove lipomas and more! It is exciting to see the patients have their surgery and then see their skin grafts heal which then helps them move their hand or arm for the first time in years, or their neurofibromas removed from the faces and the joy in their eyes at the realisation that the thing growing on their face has gone and they can go back to their families and the communities!

I feel so privilege to be able to do a job that I love, to see wounds heal and to get to know the patients. Also to work with an amazing team of nurses and physiotherapist (and OT's), and not forgetting a plastic surgeon who is so dedicated to what he does, it's great!

So here are some of the photos from this round of plastic surgeries and the patients I have come to love and will miss dearly!
Amazing team!