Patients and Poems....

Instead of my normal update, I wanted to share with you the writings of one of our English-speaking patients, Prince Eddie Daniels.

To tell you a little bit about him,... Prince is his name not his title, he is a christian, has been married for 4 months now, and was a great comfort and support to a mother on the ward who was losing her only son to Burkett's lymphoma. Burkett's lymphoma is a very fast growing cancer usually found in children. The prognosis is generally very good as it can be treated easily with chemotherapy. Because it grows so fast, it is easy to see the chemo killing it quickly and see it visibly shrink within days. However, with this child, the cancer had already metastasized to his liver despite the three doses of chemo he had already received, and his body systems were shutting down. Within a few days, he went from being a smiley, playful child to death. As nurses, we realize the impact of these deaths on the family and on the staff that are working with them but we haven't stopped to think about the impact of that death on the other patients in the ward. Since they are all in one big room, they become their own community with everyone helping everyone else. Translations and explanations become a group effort and everyone has there input (wanted and unwanted!), everyone helps out with the children, and the conversations are varied and all-inclusive. So when a family is facing the loss of a family member, particularly a child, everyone feels it. And Prince poetically captured this in his first poem. (I have typed them as he wrote them and with his full permission for them to be posted here.)

A FADING DAWN:

Helplessyly we look on. Hopelessy we stood by,
gazing on life so feeble and tender
fading away as the day go by.
He, like any others, came this way to fill the space
and tread the path common to men.
To live and grow, to rise and cross the age of men on earth beneath
Only to see the light life stretch as far as from the womb to the tomb.
The worse of sight any one could see is a mother's love for a dying son.
But deep within the innermost part of the inner heart
is a glimmer of hope to wish for life.
The thought of scholarship, graduating from high school,
attending the first prom, and the joy of being loved
and love he'll never live to have and know,
for dreams so young and tender is closed in heart so ill and pale.
Perhaps the Father of love, on men in tears and pains on earth beholding, will mercy have on this heart so young and tender.
All we mortal men can do is to wish and hope and pray
that the day after the next night, to this little life will be good enough to be called a BETTER TOMARROW.

Heart-breaking isn't it?!?! And amazing!!! Prince's next poem is much more uplifting and is an expression of "[his] appreciation to the staff and crew of the Mercy Ship."

ANGELS AMONGST THE SONS OF MEN:

The day the Big White Whale landed on the black shores of Africa, was a blessed day to the Sons of Men. It came with Angels to walk amongst the Sons of Men. Why do I calL them Angels? Let me tell you of my time with them.

I came on board the White Whale with rooms filled with the lame, the mame, the formed, the deformed, the wrong and the rough.

And deep into the darkest part of the night I saw men and brethren, maidens and ladies, though flesh as us, yet with hearts of Angels.

Sleeplessly and tirelessly they toiled through the night, through the pains and aches of men, they with hands to heal and mend, bringing from above the Father's love to the Sons of Men.

Some they cut. Some they tie. Some they seal and yet others they fix with tools untold.

Like messengers of the Most High they came not thinking of their own, they risked their lifes and sailed the Sea, to lands beyond the endless world to shores of men afflicted and in pain.

Their hearts and lifes they came to share as Angels walk amongst the Sons of Men.

Some in this life are born to pass and some are born in life to live, yet these Angels are born to preserve humanity.

Though some lifes they see as waste yet with speed they move to save. With words of love and touch of peace, they endlessly toil to make right the wrong.

You were born as Men to your lands and yet as Angels you served the earth.

Gold is dugged from earth beneath. Treasures are hunted on high seas. But love so pure and true can only in hearts like yours be found.

Your labour in the Lord shall not be in vain.
For every life you touch and every soul you save,
For every bone you mend and every face you straight,
The Lord of life and light will light your path and guide your life.
FOR YOU ARE TRUELY ANGELS AMONGST THE SONS OF MEN.

And that is what each and every one of you have been to these people by allowing me to come and by your compassion and prayers for all of us. To them, you are "ANGELS TO THE SONS OF MEN." Thank you so much!!! If you have any comments about the poems or messages you would like me to pass on to Prince, just let me know. He will probably be here several more days and I'm sure he would love to hear from you!