Journey to surgery part 3

When i arrived at Shriners Hospital for Children situated at Erie it felt different to New York. It was a quiet community and very gloomy at times like England.However, i had approximately two weeks before my surgery. The hospital was very child friendly. The first day of my arrival, while one of the nurses took my  information she realized that  i was from Trinidad and Tobago. She told my mother for her honey moon she spent her time in Jamaica. This was the ice breaker for a conversation between her and us. My mother and i finally met Dr. Sanders and  he was a very friendly caucasian man. Another friendly nurse came and showed us around the hospital. The hospital wasn't as big as i imagined it to be. It was 2 times the size of West Shore Medical in Trinidad.


Pictures of inside Shriners

During my time before surgery i met younger patients with different conditions. I can't remember  their names and exactly what were their conditions but compared to mine it seemed like a drop in the ocean. Some of them were handicapped and suffered with other conditions.However, the patients were friendly and loved to hear me speak. They often wanted to learn Trinidadian creole which was fun for me to teach. My duration at the hospital was a learning experience and it proved that i didn't know much about my country's history compared to my fellow patients. I would usually socialize with other patients in the hospital's game room on a morning and late evening. I mentioned this already but didn't elaborate on it. Shriners is a non profit hospital, so as a patient the hospital  paid for our accommodation. Meals, medication, all test and the dormitory in which my mother and i stayed at were paid by the hospital.

Leading up to my surgery i was quite busy taking different test. I gave 2 pints of blood which would have been given back to me after surgery. I hate needles so that experience wasn't a nice one. On average i took about 15 minutes before the nurse could stick the needle in me because it took long for me to settle. Three to two days before my surgery i became very anxious.




 Shriners Hospital changing lives.

shriners Hospital for Children  http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/

join my facebook group and join the discussion  http://www.facebook.com/groups/155511667921915/