I'm in hospital. I was admitted 12 hours ago. I had a football accident last week. Came in to A&E. Was given some crutches and told to keep the weight of it and come back on Monday.
It's Monday. I came back for a 10.30 appointment and it's now 23.10 and I'm still here.
Turns out I need surgery. Was given 20 mins to make the decision to go under. It's a big week for me on many fronts. The Paralympics and the Haiti Dream, the Struggle for Survival simulations, the meetings, the people, the team. Couldn't have happened at a worse time.
Here I am in in hospital. An amazing hospital- more like a hotel. I have my own room. My lap top. People coming in checking in. A quick turn around from diagnosis to operation. Amazing. Truly is.
Then whilst looking at photos I realised that exactly 2 years ago I was in hospital. On a visit that changed me. I had just arrived in Cap Haitien in Haiti. To be honest I was a little delicate from the night before of partying at an election event in Port au Prince that we were invited to. We arrived in a dinky jet.
Our host immediately said it would be a good day as he hoped to clear 3 containers of aid that we had played a part in getting there of hospital aid, food and community assistance. They'd been there for around 3 months should have got through a lot earlier.
As our escort made a series of calls we ended up in a hospital. We were visiting a girl who was part of their programme. She had a seizure during the night. She was admitted. We eventually entered the paediatric ward and hovered over a bed with a young girl (18 months) with just her chest going up and down. She clung to what life she had. The doctor strolled over and said thy wait. They can't intervene as they don't have the resources. They have the skills but not the tools. He said this as he went to the alcohol pump dispenser. It was empty. It had been for the better part of the year. The incubators in the ward were just shells. The "dirty" electricity blew the circuits. All this as this girl's life was only enhanced by a bed. All of us were just spectators for her desperation to hold herself alive. We left.
Over the coming hours were truly unbelievable. We were in the customs. Wrestling with them. Each container should take hours to clear. We had 45 minutes left for their openning times. One had just got out and two were left. The lady went and fought hard and then harder. I just watched and waited. The afternoon heat was fading. Not by a lot but no way as hot as hours before.
We waited.
With every minute being precious the 2 final containers were released with minutes to go and we all stood amazed at the victory.
We followed them back. I sat in the back of van with a degree of a triumphant feeling.
As the stuff came out the first item we saw were incubators. New ones. Clean ones. What a sight they were. A real sign of hope. What a day it was.
When the doctor came in the morning to inspect the equipment his eyes were a lit up and excited. Our man said he'd never seen him so happy. We quietly acknowledged this victory as we started the walk through. I asked about the girl we saw yesterday. She didn't make it through the evening.
It hit me right there. Here we were celebrating the success of these resources and goods but really the tools to save. And yet one slipped through. I was devastated. That day haunted me and I swore I would remember her. I looked around and saw the hospital and all it's people seeing this new equipment and on the new site that was being developed as the new maternity ward.
Two years ago I was at a different hospital, with different doctors. We managed to help others from that place including a person who went on to represent his country at one of the Paralympic qualifying events and other still to carry that idea of hope.
Two years ago I was in a hospital and today two years later I'm in hospital myself facing a simple procedure.
I remember that girl and wish she could be here today.
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Location:Tonbridge Rd,Tunbridge Wells,United Kingdom
