one week into india

Hello everyone!

Life has been going well for me in the past few days. I am really beginning to like working at Kalighat (home for the dying). It is good to be able to help the people there in ways that others cannot. I am beginning to realize how fragile life is. For the past three days I've been dressing the wounds of an old woman who I'm sure will die very soon. Each day she gets a new wound because she is so full of infection. I think her heart is failing too. I'm working with another nursing student and we were trying to remember all of the signs of heart failure yesterday. Of the ones we knew, she met them all. It is just so sad to see her suffering so much. I cried yesterday while I was doing one of her dressing changes (she has six to do).

But I am comforted to know that she is in a safe place surrounded by people who are willing to show her love and care in her final moments of life.

I keep thinking of the following song and it is consoling to me when everything seems dismal.

We have a hope in Jesus
We have a hope in Jesus
That all things will be well
That all things will be well
That all things will be well in Him

I sing it to the lady as I sit with her. She seems to like having her hand held and being sung to.

On a lighter note...thanks for all of your concerned emails about Kim. She is still alive and well. We went to the hosptial again yesterday and she got her second of five rabies shots.

And we experienced our first Indian rain! We were shopping when it started raining. Kyli got really afraid and no matter how much people reassured her, she was convinced that monsoon season had begun. So she wanted an umbrella. We went to a shop and they tried to sell us one for Rs450. Umbrellas should only be Rs60-100, so we decided to walk in the rain. It was pretty fun. The water was about a foot deep in the street and we didn't realize until we had already been walking in the street for a few minutes that we could have used the sidewalk. Oh well.

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful day!It was great to hear from you!

Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers!

God bless you,

Kathleen