Changed

         During the recent election season, we treated many patients who were injured in violent clashes due to opposing views.    Seeing so much trauma week after week was discouraging to us as caretakers as well as to our patients who were suffering. One such patient was a young man who came in with a large machete cut to his foot. His big toe wasn’t salvageable and we worried the rest of his toes would be difficult to salvage as well. He was understandably angry, upset, and discouraged by the news that we would have to amputate the forefoot in order to save his ability to walk in the future. He underwent several surgeries and a long stay in the hospital.         

          During the month which followed, I would constantly joke with him because he had a new hairstyle every week. He had a fro one week, new cornrows the next, and small braids another week. He was constantly changing things up. In fact his name was Tok Pisin for “change”. Gradually, his anger subsided and was instead replaced by a peace, a smile, a word of thanks and a hopeful attitude. On the day of his discharge home, we found a note in his clinic book. It read: “Thank God for giving my life back. God is good to me because he saves me in tribal fight.” All our discouragement melted away as we saw the joy and hope that this young man had discovered during his time at the hospital. That was truly the best change of all—a change of heart.