My little Ryene – Surgery Day 5

So re-entry to the hospital was a little tough earlier today, but after playing in the ward this morning, things were back on track for me. I’m still thinking about "Ronny"; I’ll probably always think about him and wonder what he might have grown up to be. I’ve formed a connection with my Casanova friend, Ryene, though, and was able to spend time with him before his surgery. You could say that we have kind of a bond. It’s ironic that he’s the same age as "Ronny" and they look somewhat alike.

His and her tattoes (Ryene and me)

He’s brought up from the pediatric ward to the waiting area where we tattooed each other (he was careful to select a "girl" one for my while he opted for a fierce cobra one), played tic-tac-toe, he wrote my name, and then we played with my iPhone for a while. He loved the pictures of Caesar (my Chihuahua) and every time he flipped through the pictures would exclaim “Caesar!” Carolyn, seeing the connection, came to the waiting area when it was time and asked me to be the person to escort him to surgery and be the last person he saw before he went to sleep. Hand in hand we walked into the OR, and I picked him up and set him on the table.

The anesthesiologists started administering gas and after a few deep breaths, he decided he didn’t like it and started to fight a little. I rubbed his dark little legs while the team held him down and watched him give way to the gas, me fighting back tears.

I went back to my desk with his flip-flops in hand, pulled it together and proceeded to the waiting area to give them to his mother. Worried eyed, she asked me if he was okay. I told her he was sleeping and fine. She pointed to the OR and said “you go” wanting me to go back and be with him during surgery. I wasn’t prepared to watch a surgery, but I did go back into the OR as she’d asked so she would be comfortable knowing I was close to him. Carolyn later told me that when we went into the OR, Ryene and I, the mother began to cry. It’s hard to think about how these mothers feel letting go of their children and entrusting them to total strangers. Carolyn held her and told her he was fine and that I would be with him and that knowledge calmed her.

Back at my desk, I prepared tomorrow’s files waiting for Ryene to emerge. At one point a scrub nurse opened the door and starting calling out for things I didn’t understand. I panicked thinking that this might be a re-run of yesterday. Things settled down, thankfully, and I was assured my little friend was fine. And then, it was time to wait.

Phenomenal Fiona (anesthesiologist) and me

An hour later, he emerged from the OR fighting the anesthesia, literally. He’s a tough little guy. His mother  told me the story of how his father was murdered in their home. Ryene has two other siblings. He’s the youngest. When a mad-man came into their home, he stabbed the father. His mother instinctively put herself over her child and was stabbed herself in the chest. She showed me the large scar. Fortunately she survived. The father had been against Ryene getting corrective surgery; there are many people here who believe that’s how God made them and that it shouldn’t be changed. Without him to consult, the mother came to clinic and today he got the surgery. She is pleased that the other children will no longer make fun of his deformity.

Ryene's mother (grandmother in the background) - taken by Ryene

After we’d settled him down in the recovery room, I was asked to go get Ryene’s mother. She sat in the hallway alone – all of the other parents had already collected their children and been moved down to the pediatric ward for the night. Her face lit up with a question when she saw me. I told her he was more handsome and very strong. She was pleased and said “thank you” over and over as we walked into the OR.

In the OR she rushed to hold him and I’ll be darned if that little guy sat up and said he wanted to leave, shouting it at her. As she ignored him, understanding it was the drugs talking, he screamed at her “Are you deaf?!” He’s her baby and has been through a lot. Even with his post-anesthesia anger, he is my little friend. I’m excited to visit him tomorrow.



Ryene in recovery (if you look carefully, you can see that his lip
will be very attractive making this special boy even more
handsome)