Hospital visit

Visiting the public hospitals here is such a hard thing to mentally, spiritually, and psychologically deal with, especially on a repeated basis.

That is not to say that it is without joy, because it certainly can be that, but from the moment we talk our way past security at the front gate, the sense of need, some desperation, and just the word "overwhelming" comes to mind.




I suppose in one way it reminds me of the "overwhelming" need elsewhere, just confined and represented in one big space. 

This is just one shot of one side of the building...big place, but unfortunately never big enough. 

We used to park in the parking lot when visiting, but the double parking and cars on the curb has grown to the point it is impossible.  More cars in the parking lot, not sure there is more care being provided.

The irony is that I like going, yet it can seem daunting...and further irony is that in spite of some rather serious conditions/ailments/problems...most of the patients we see, we get smiles and joy as soon as we arrive. 




Whether you are face down...





 

 

Sitting up...















In a wheelchair...

 

 

Making a new friend...















with you mom by your side...

(Parents seem almost more excited and encouraged by our visits than the children sometimes)













On your back...







But it is not all smiles...there is pain there.  Even with the smiles, they come at the encouragement and distraction that the groups bring to an otherwise not-so-smiley situation.

But there are times where there are few smiles if any.

A mother caring for her baby that has hydrocephalous...and also watching over the baby in the adjoining crib. 

Appreciative...thankful...crying...hope in defiance of what is seen.






And on some occasions, a smile just does not come.  They do not have to...that actually makes more sense to me in a way. 

But we pray the smile would come later...that the seed planted through prayer, talking and the Word that we left with them would grow and multiply.