Ward Rounds

Each morning, before starting work in the clinic, I complete rounds in the hospital. This means reviewing vital signs, lab results, medications etc on each patient in the ward. This week I am in pediatrics, here are my patients...

Bed 4 contains a little boy of 7 who currently has significant fluid accumulation in his abdomen. We think it may be due to liver failure, but we aren't sure and can't find the cause. So he continues to “fill up” on a daily basis. Just recently the fluid became infected, we started him on antibiotics. He has lovely long eyelashes.

Bed 5 is a 5 year old little girl currently undergoing chemotherapy for an abdominal tumor. She is skeletal and vomiting. Just recently she developed an abscess that had to be drained. She howls whenever we come near her. Her mother dresses her in the prettiest clothes.

Bed 6 is a tired 10 year old little girl with heart failure secondary to an infection that damaged her mitral valve. She currently has fluid accumulation in her lungs and difficulty breathing. There is no valve replacement surgery here in Cameroon as in the US. She will remain on medications for the rest of her life.

In bed 12 is a cheery little 7 year old whose platelets are dangerously low. Platelets cause the blood to clot, so without them he bleeds out his nose and stomach. This has caused his anemia and within the past year he has received 5 transfusions. He will be returning to the hospital for further testing within the next month. He has the cutest smile.

Private box 3 contains two infant girls approximately 2 years old who haven't been given enough to eat. They are dangerously malnourished and weigh only about 12 pounds apiece.

In private box 4 is a little girl of 8 who recently woke up from her coma following a car accident. She has significant facial fractures and lacerations and is now blind in her left eye. A maxillofacial surgeon is coming to the area and she will receive surgeries to repair her injuries in a nearby hospital. She is the sweetest and always sits up when I enter the room, paying great attention to my every move.

These are the patients who stand out in my memory. Soon they will be gone, their beds occupied by others. I know their stories aren't easy to read, but thank you for sharing in this with us.