mission hospital

Finally I am out of the villages and seeing hospital patients. Today was my first official day and it was a GREAT DAY! Although I had a mixture of emotions, working at the Mission Hospital excites me even more about my future and everyone I can help. The Mission Hospital is a Christian based hospital that starts off every day with a devotion ceremony. I have never been a big fan of attending church but devotion this morning was truly touching. Devotion was led by the lead doctor, Dr. Philip. Devotion was in English and in Hindi which was perfect because I could understand. The most amazing part was when everyone sang songs in Hindi. They also talked about how as doctors they are led and given the strength by god to do what they do but untimely they can’t control the decisions he makes. I often wonder how doctors and nurses have the drive to continue every day, Dr. Philips answer is god gives him the strength. The service was amazing and so touching but immediately after it ended I was rushed into ICU with Dr. Philip. There was a patient there that had congestive heart failure, liver failure, and emphysema. She could not breathe on her own and was her heart rate was plummeting. I stood there with Dr. Philip watching this lady and her family. My first patient of the day died right in front of me. I can’t even describe the emotions I felt. I was in devotion 10 mins before listening about how god does what he wants to do and then I was watching someone die. I guess that was my official welcome to nursing.  When the doctors told the rest of her family they were hysterical, they then took the deceased patient home (most likely to be cremated). Without skipping a beat the rest of the day continued. I spent the remainder of my day in and out of the antenatal clinic. At the antenatal clinic I learned how to use a Doppler and for the first time in my life I found the heartbeat of a baby. Once again I can’t describe how I felt, I feel nothing can describe the sound and the emotions that go along with finding life. My day has been insane, literally I saw death and then I was blessed with finding life.