Despite having nothing here 9 weeks ago and having to think back to old school days to help treat these bed sores, I am pleased to say that the carers have actually done what I told them and used the supplies I bought. The sores were looking much better and were reduced to about half the size of when I left. Take that to everyone who told me I couldn't help or make a difference or even bother!
However, the sore on her elbow has grown, and is infected. I'm not sure why this one is looking worse. I can warrant a few guesses: one is that, to help the sores on her bottom, they balance her on her side and on the sore elbow. Or two, they did run out of the meds I left them and no one bought them anymore. They prioritised the ones on her bottom and left the elbow one.
I went to peel the very soaked gauze off her elbow to inspect and as I did, another little friend of mine, who is mute and intellectually disabled sat next to me and watched. She would be about 13 years old.
As the gauze came off and I saw the horror it was hiding, I began to dry retch and my eyes were teary.
My little friend began to pat me on the shoulder and kept pointing to the sore elbow.
I had to keep going. I didn't have any gloves, no protection. I got straight into it and cleaned the pus as best I could. Every time I would stop, my new little friend would pat me on the back, do a 'thumbs up' sign and gently nudge me back to the elbow. Admittedly I would look at this mess and was thinking that this was beyond my capabilities and I didn't even know if I was doing the right thing! But my little friend was encouraging me to keep going and I could not just stop.
It took me about half hour to get this elbow clean and wrapped and this little girl sat by me the entire time, giving me the encouragement and the courage to just keep going.
When I was finished she clapped so much and smiled and kept giving me the thumbs up. She even took all the rubbish and dirty gauzes to the bin for me.
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