twins

The children here are just beautiful. I really can't get enough of them.

Last night two cleft palate babies, one who was 4 months and one who was 5 months, were moved from D ward to A ward, where I was stationed. The children and their mama's were from Sierra Leone and they had to stay on the ward until it was time for their nasal bolsters (which supports the surgical site) to be removed. The babies had been officially discharged and their moms were in charge of issuing medications and performing wound care.

The four month girl has a twin brother, Michal, who was happy, alert, and incredibly cute. And he liked to be held and I like to hold babies. Most of the nurses do. It's a shame that the babies never get any attention :) (We actually spoil them quite terribly).

Cleft palate/lip repairs are probably my favorite surgery performed on the ship. We send children to the OR who are essentially missing entire parts of their faces and an hour later (with the exception of a few steri strips) they look life everyone else. It's really remarkable.

A neat part of this story is that these two babies are cousins; their moms are sisters. Coming to the Africa Mercy has been a family affair.