Tootsie

Another day and still more experiences!  Every new day is bringing more and more surprises. I just finished talking to Andrew when he made me aware I haven't even discussed my experiences at the hospital!  So, this post will be dedicated completely to that..

The hospital, if you can even call it that, is something I have never experienced before.  Never again will I complain about the hospital conditions in the U.S.  On the outside it is a huge building with several floors inside.  After talking with the girls we believe that this children's hospital is dedicated to those with little income and perhaps bad or even no health insurance. Several of its patients are gypsies.  Kids are free to roam the halls and smoking is found in every open area inside the hospital.  One of the girls described some of the floors looking like something out of the Holocaust. Needless to say, I hope to never get sick because this would be the last place I would want to be treated.

But... I can't bash this place because I know they are doing the best they can.  With the bad there is always some good.  For instance, most of the staff is more than willing to allow us to do our service in the hospital!  Also, they are pretty chill in allowing visitors and in leaving a bed so the moms can stay overnight with their child.  But, the nurses know we are just wanting to help and are more than helpful in welcoming us to take care of the kids.   

We work at the hospital everyday after the orphanage from 2-5pm.  Upon arriving, we normally know which rooms are needed to be visited, but if not we are to ask "Are there any children without moms?" (but this is of course said in Romanian).  The nurses show us the rooms and from their we are to change diapers, help feed if needed, and just entertain the kids.  This hospital is a place where many unwanted infants are left.

I, however, have been with a single girl since we have been working.  Little Blue Diva has been the hospital for about 5 days on the Cardio floor.  She is quite the handful but it is wonderful to have the one on one time in really getting to know her!  Today, was the first day I really changed an interesting diaper.  You might ask why I labeled the title tootsie.  Well, after today I might have to change her name to it.  This little one kept farting, Aubrey (who was with an abandoned baby in the crib next to me) and I could not help but laugh as she kept doing it.  I gave ten minutes to get it all out before I changed that horrid diaper!  Poor thing...but today was a good day to be with here.  She was still a little sassy but when I first go there she was sleeping and after she really was very smiley and happy I was there.  She seems to be getting better the more I visit her. 

So everybody, be thankful for the things you have because there is always somewhere that is worse off!  To end on a good note...despite getting pretty tired I am enjoying learning the culture and spending my time in the service of others.  But I am sure I get the better end of the service because they are already giving me so much more than I am sure I give them. 

Mare vis,

Dani