Maria's favorite tiny humans

Yesterday, I was sad to be stuck in bed with a touch of the stomach bug because I missed a day with my favorite tiny humans. However, I was gladly welcomed back by bright, smiling faces this morning. I was surprised when a girl I thought was indifferent of me greeted me with the largest hug and a rather frustrated series of "where were you?!" She explained how she didn't like rotations because she already knew me. Therefore, she automatically liked me more than anyone else because she has spent the last two weeks with her. In that moment, I had no desire to leave her side. My morning was filled with even more smiles, hugs and even dancing. When I tried to leave for physiotherapy, she wouldn't let go of my arm as she didn't want to see me leave.

In physio, I helped change bandages for traction. I found myself being laughed at by the girls for struggling to place bandages. Naturally, I was talked through the process by two ten years old who found it rather easy.

This week in rounds, I found myself more concerned with the tiny humans than the medicine behind them. In my three weeks, there's only a few additions and subtractions to the ward. While I found myself being tripped on the first two weeks of rounds, I stayed in the back today to grab toes and cause giggles. Like last week, I tried with all my might to bring smiles to the faces of the tiny humans. My heart broke every time I watched their expressions change drastically when the doctors approached. In my twenty one years, I have found that some people just don't speak children. Before I started working at camp, I struggled but now I speak fluent tiny human. Some of the doctors don't acknowledge the tiny humans but rather only see the medicine. These are the doctors who tend to bring tears when they forcibly try to move a leg that a child has been struggling to wiggle in physio. Other doctors bring a smile before asking a child to move an extremity. These doctors remind me of medicine in America. My heart breaks each time I watch a child cry during examinations.

While rounds are run by doctors and nurses, medical students and physiotherapist students join along. Many of the students spend a better portion of rounds on their phones. This drives me absolutely insane as I'm being tripped over trying to absorb all information possible. Despite that these  students are texting, the doctors are still inviting them to the front of the crowd. Personally I value my education too much to give my phone more attention than my teachers.

Pictures from some of Maria's fun times