smiles

yesterday was a day full of smiles.....Kossin was smiling, Lawson was smiling, Ama was smiling....as the evening shift was drawing to a close, one of the deck hands came down to the ward with his guitar and we sang songs together. everything from bob marley to african worship songs. toes we moving to the beat, hands were clapping and fingers clicking. those initially rather perturbed by the stranger on the wards came out from under their covers and were soon joining in with everyone else.
the patient in bed 10 soon had the drums out and was setting the beat and bed 12 had the maraca to add some fancy rhythm to the guitar and drums. we had a whole band right there in D ward.

Patient A, a 16 yr old lad had his surgery a week ago and has made a remarkable recovery. his large tumour on his check was removed and now his staples and sutures are out and his incision lines are healing healing healing. his lip exercises are going well and the smile on his face and little giggle when u encourage him just makes me smile and my joy overflow.
Patient B is an older man, living alone cos his wife has left him, his kids staying with their mother, a neighbour brought him food each day, he speaks great english and is well educated painter. he did have, past tense - a massive tumour was protruding from his face, with his teeth hanging off it, starting in his cheek and pushing his eye and nose and lip apart. but its gone, his lips are now close, his eyes in alignment and his cheeks normal size. he shakes his hands in the air and thanks God for everything. he has a smile on his face, and a light in his eyes.
Patient C is another lovely woman who has yet to have her surgery, but she was one of the women that i screened in the screening session last week. i spotted her face in the crowd of people - thinking to myself, i know we can help you lady. and here she in lying in the clean beds, with clean sheets around her and food in her belly just a handful of days later. her tumour is the size of a football attached to her jaw and almost sitting on her shoulder. she covers her face in a cloth and she sleeps with her arms wrapped around it, to hide, to disapear. as she becomes more comfortable and she just dares to believe, as people shake her hands and speak to her, welcoming her to the ward - that she is loved and accepted, that she isnt an outcast, isnt demonised or rejected. [it amazes me time and time again how a smile and a handshake can lift so much.] it is then that i noticed that the cloth wasnt near her face, it was sitting on the pillow above her and she was sitting, singing along to the guitarist - in her 'small small english.' smiling and chuckling to herself, her hand raised. in a weeks time, following a few days of feeling poorly, she will be patient A and B, raising her hands to the heavens in gratitude, as life has changed, hope is tangible.

from all angles of the room, voices were combining, in different accents, from different lives, patients, nurses, brought together for a moment, but all singing and praying for the same thing ....

Yesterday is gone
Another day has come
Do something new in my life
Yesterday is gone
Another day has come
Do something new in my life
Yesterday is gone
Yes, another day has come
Do something new in my life
Yesterday is gone
Another day has come
Do something new in my life 

Chorus
Do something new in my life
Something new in my life.
Oh Lord 

Yesterday is gone
Another day has come
Do something new in my life
Yesterday is gone
Yes, another day has come
Do something new in my life

total simplicity; simple words, but a powerful prayer. and i looked and around echoed the prayer in my own heart and smiled. it was a good evening on the wards.