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Part 2 of Report from Sarah
Bolton
Following her working visit to the Bentota Hospital in May.
Below is part 2 of Sarah & Rosie’s report from
their recent working visit to the Bentota Hospital in Sri Lanka. It brings it
all alive and shows the positive affect their work is having. It is also
heartrending to know how desperate the situation is out there and what a huge
difference a small amount of money can make when properly directed: literally
LIFE or DEATH. It makes you feel guilty when we live such comparatively easy
lives and can just squander money without a second thought. Well done Sarah &
Rosie and all those who have contributed. But as Sarah says, It’s not finished
yet. There is still more to be done. If you can help with donations and
fundraising, Sarah will be so pleased to hear from you. Now please read on
.....
Thursday- Rosie and I are working at the
Hospital today.
Our first 'job' is to hand out the teddy bears that were so kindly made and
donated by the ladies of St Mary's Church Hullavington, each bear has its own
cotton drawstring bag. Some of the children are unsure of us at first but soon
warm up to the bears! There are no other toys on the ward and we see them open
their bags and cuddle their teddies. Their smiles are truly magical. There is
one 6 week old baby with a dreadful chest infection, (the result of living in a
tent at Monsoon time, nothing ever dries out). Her mother receives her bear for
her and gently places it at her side.
The nurses call us in to the minor injury room to observe some dressings being
changed. First a middle aged man who had stepped into a fire 6 days ago. What a
mess! The dressing procedure seems barbaric to us, no pain killers, I squeeze
his hand and try to get him to breath through the pain, he screams in agony as
his foot is scrubbed with chemicals we stopped using 20 years ago. It seems
barbaric but it does work, there is no sign of infection. I feel sick witnessing
his pain.
Next its the turn of a beautiful 4 year old little girl who had a severely
scalded face, chest and back (her injuries are a result of a family of 8 living
in a makeshift shed 6' by 6' the single burner they use to cook was balanced on
a box, she reached up and tipped a pan of boiling rice over herself. In all my
years of nursing I have never seen a child suffer such pain, I had tears in my
eyes and feel sobs rise in my throat. By the end of the procedure she is utterly
exhausted.
We are not here to change nursing practice, its no good us coming in with
expensive dressings and procedures as they cannot be maintained and old skills
could be lost in the meantime. These methods though shocking do seem to work and
there is again no sign of infection. She returns to her cot and sleeps with her
new bear.
The Ambulance driver takes us to his quarters, a small office with a table for
his paperwork and a tiny bedroom with an old bed . There is no glass in the
windows, and he asks us if we could possibly buy him a Mosquito net and a horn
for his Ambulance.
The equipment we purchased starts to arrive. Oh their faces when the fridge
freezer is wheeled in, they stroke it and open and close the door , marvelling
at the fact it has temperature control and makes ice, it will be so useful for
storing certain medicines such as vaccines.
Shanali (the Drs daughter) tells us that 2 of her teachers perished in the
Tsunami. Her eyes moisten and brim with tears as she explains one of them died
with his wife and 2 of their children leaving a 14 year old boy alone in the
family home. The body of his mother and siblings were never found.
Friday We decided to have today as a day off. Big
mistake!! as its monsoon rain all day. Still it gives us a chance to visit the
tailors and the jewelers !!!!! In the evening we have an invite to dine at a
local restaurant, the owner has heard what we are doing and wishes to thank us
on behalf of the local community. We have a huge lobster each DELICIOUS!!!
Saturday: Back to the Hospital to officially
present the equipment etc.
Most of it has arrived and everyone is thrilled. Lynne looks around for the
first time and agrees that we should pay for repairs to the roof of the
Children’s ward that is leaking badly. To the Drs delight we confirm with Dr
Jayalath that we have enough money to install a fresh drinking water supply into
the Hospital and do essential repairs to the electrics. This is possible as the
Management at the Taj Exotica (our hotel) have agreed that their maintenance /
engineers will do the work for us. So we know the work will be to a high
standard at no cost except parts.
We are given cups of extremly strong very sweet tea, and thanked profusely by
all the staff.
The little girl greets us with a beaming smile, she looks so much better today.
After taking photos we say goodbye, and assure them we will continue to help
them.
Sunday. Rosie and I head off South towards Galle
to take pictures of the damage and rebuilding along the coast.
As I’m taking pictures I am surrounded by women who have lost husbands and
Fathers. One lady shows me into her temporary hut that she shares with 5 others.
Whilst we are in there the rain starts. It's like being inside a drum kit as it
beats down on the tin roof. Within minutes the floor is awash, they have to
sleep on the floor with no mats or ground sheets.
The people all seem to be saying they know how generous the world has been but
where is the money?
They should not be living like this - hand to mouth with no sanitation etc.
Infant diarrhoea is becoming a sometimes fatal problem and they now have 3
months of Monsoon to contend with.
I have to chuckle at one rebuilding site everyone is sat around drinking tea,
just how we joke about our workmen!
We travel on to Galle for a cup of tea and to meet Damayanthas ( Hotel
purchasing manager) family in his home. On our return journey the streets are
emptying as the rain continues and people shelter in their doorways, tents and
'sheds'. Despite the rain it is still so hot and humid. I'm not surprised there
are problems with upset tummies and chest infections, nothing gets a chance to
dry out.
When we get back to the Hotel its time to pack and say our goodbyes ready for
our departure tomorrow. We wish we could stay longer in this magical place-
still we will be back at Christmas.
I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who
has contributed towards the Helping Bentota Hospital fund. We are now starting
on phase two ready for our trip in December, so if anyone has any fund raising
ideas do let me know. (01666 837997)
Sarah
Part 1 of Sarah & Rosie's
report on their working visit to Bentota Hospital
Original Appeal by Sarah, including
pictures of the damage caused by the Tsunami
Sarah lives at Hopyard Barn, 8 Belfrey Drive.
Tel 01666837997.
She can be emailed at
sbolton1@mac.com
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