Today I spent the day at the public hospital in Tegucigalpa, Hospital Escuela. This definitely wasn't my first visit to the hospital, nor will it be my last. Today I accompanied a little girl named Sarahi because she had her tonsils removed. Sarahi is three years old, and it is no secret that she one of my favorites. I know that I shouldn't have a favorite but I can't help it. She is absolutely adorable, so sweet, and continuously cracks me up. In fact, her family (she has two older sisters and a brother) are with out a doubt one of my favorite families on the ranch.
I arrived at Hospital Escuela bright and early at around 5:45 am this morning. I found Sarahi and her overnight care giver from the Ranch waiting in line at the bathroom. In the pediatric ward of the hospital each room can house up to 8 patients. There are approximately 5 or 6 rooms of this size. There is only one bathroom stall, and one shower for all pediatric patients. Needless to say, it is not a beacon of cleanliness. My first surprise of the day occurred when a well dressed transvestite stepped out of the shower in the pediatric ward. She (formerly he) was caring for her son who was staying in the same room as Sarahi. This ambiguous mom/dad ( I never heard the little boy address her as either) confused me and made me giggle a little bit all day!
After getting her cleaned up we played a little bit with the other kids in her ward before she was ready to go to surgery. I took her down to the OR and waiting in the hallway with the other parents until she came out. I watched patient after patient be pushed in and out of the OR on cold medal gurneys. No mattresses, no blankets fresh from the recovery room warmer! Finally after about 2 and a half hours they called me to come and push her back up to the peds ward.
She did very well in surgery and very well in recovery. She had some pain afterwards and handled it about as well as any brave three year old might. About two hours after we were back to the room and settled in, Sarahi's mother came to visit. Sarahi and her siblings are at NPH temporarily. They were taken away from their mother about a year ago and she has visited them fairly frequently ever since. I was caught a little off guard, but recognized her immediately because her other daughter, Karla, looks just like her. Sarahi's mother was very nice and cared for her well. However, it was still strange for me to be in that situation. When you work at an orphanage you don't often expect to run into the parents of the children! Also, they were taken away from her for some very good reasons so even though she had permission, I was a little apprehensive about her being there at first.
What surprised me most, is how I reacted to this situation. Like I said, Sarahi holds a very special place in my heart. For the past 8 months I have cared for her in Casa Suyapa and in the clinic. I have watched her grow and play and develop her own personality. I've tucked her into bed, kissed cuts and scrapes, and sung her songs until she fell asleep. I really have grown to love her and so many other kids so much during my time in Honduras. It was great to see that her mother really is trying to get it together and turn her life around. It was also wonderful to see how good and comforting she was with Sarahi. However, I felt very protective of this little girl. It was hard for me not to feel so angry with the mother because of the way she treated, and neglected her four beautiful children in the past. Her children are so smart, and good, and funny. They are all growing and thriving at the Ranch! There is so much that she has missed during the past year. It was so strange being there with Sarahi and her mother. When she cried she often reached for me. When she was in pain, she yelled for Tia Loli, the tia that faithfully takes care of the littlest kids day in and day out. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must of been for her mother to see her baby girl reach and cry for someone else.
I left the hospital exhausted. I did not realize how emotionally draining it had been until I stepped outside. I also left with the realization that I have come to love the kids at the Ranch so much. They make me laugh, teach me, push me to grow, and sometimes frustrate me beyond belief everyday! I have been so blessed that I get to be a part of their childhood, even if its only for a little while.
