King George

A few weeks ago I started telling George’s story. He was abandoned at a hospital needing emergency surgery. After a month in the hospital he was ready to be discharged, but had no where to go. I called in my friends at the Ministry of Social Welfare and they found a place for him at an orphanage that I know well. Unfortunately, after a week at the orphanage, George’s surgical wound opened up and he was emergently readmitted to the hospital...

That was three weeks ago. Today George is still in the hospital, but he is doing much better. After several days of close observation, the doctors decided not to rush him back for another risky surgery. Instead, the’ve been watching him closely, treating him with preventative antibiotics and doing dressing changes as needed. After a week and a half they started letting him eat soft foods. As soon as he received the ok to eat he was calling me and begging for some Cream of Wheat. 

Hospital patients in Liberia rarely get fed by the hospital staff. Usually family are responsible for providing things like food, soap, and any kind of non-medical care. Since George doesn’t have family, and everyone at the hospital has come to love him, all the hospital staff have taken him under their wing. He has some ladies in the kitchen who cook his Cream of Wheat for him and make him tea everyday. The nurses buy him juice, and help him with his laundry. I’ve started calling him King George, because everyone at the hospital is working for him. When I come for a visit he struts around the hospital wards introducing me to everyone. He is definitely the Big-Man on campus. 

Today I spoke with George’s surgeon. He feels like George is doing much better, but he is still not out of danger for going back to surgery. So, for now King George will stay on his throne at the hospital. And I’ll keep bringing him Cream of Wheat and we’ll all keep praying that George will be able to leave the hospital-- happy and healthy, soon.