Tuesday 7 November 2017

Birthdays in the Ward

My colleague realized it was our patient's birthday today.

He was a young guy who had become paralyzed after an accident up to his shoulders and ended up in our ward for rehabilitation.

He was alone, with family far away in another state.

We bought a slice of cake for him, and as he blew out a candle, I wondered how he felt, turning a year older in a hospital room far away from his family, struggling with the simple act of cutting a cake.

Sometimes there are the small mercies.

For him, he'd come a long way from being bedbound, barely being able to lift his arms or sit up; being able to blow out the birthday candle and lift a spoon was an achievement for him. In the days he spent in our ward, it seemed that he had accepted his fate, and his weaknesses and he learnt to smile again, and enjoy life.

There are so many things to be thankful for, and it's something I'm constantly reminded about every day.

Sometimes it's in the little things.

The people you're surrounded by, the ones who will want to do good by you. Being loved, being able to do the small things. Being able to smile, and laugh, and talk to the ones closest to your heart.

We will all have our challenges, and some more than others.

For our birthday boy today, my prayers are that you will find happiness and peace. May your arms become stronger, may your wounds eventually heal, and may you gain strength and balance over time.

For today, just live in the moment. Happy birthday.

No comments:

Post a Comment