Emotional Rollercoasters

Today was really a rotten day.  First as I was caring for my burn patient, I learned her caregiver was her brother in law.  I asked why her husband never came to visit and he stated because he is only 15 and too young to see her like this.  That broke my heart.  Then I learned that the Taliban often contaminate the Kerosene that these people use for heating their home in order to cause them harm!  I was so angry when I learned this.  These people have to qualms with anyone and they're being terrorized just so another group can have power over them.  This poor child is burned so badly, I don't think she's going to make it.  She has no skin on over 50% of her body and she cries in pain each time we have to do a dressing change or care for her.

This next patient wasn't mine, but he was a young boy who was blown up by a land mine.  The docs worked on him for four hours and then decided it was a lost cause; primarily because his brain was coming out of the bottom of his skull.  I sat and looked at this young child, who in my mind was out playing innocently and then came across an old land mine and now he's gone.  His father broke down and sobbed on the unit.  In the U.S.  I could put my arm around him and comfort him, but not here.  It angers me so much to see the destruction of these children.  I started to cry but then asked Tovar to say something stupid and he obliged.  It made me laugh but I still think I'll cry tonight for all these children in this war torn country.