Have you ever taught someone to read?
Somehow, one of the things that never made my list of 'Fifty Things To Do Before I Die' was teaching someone to read. Lord only knows how it got left off the list... but now that I'm in the process of doing this very thing: man, it belongs there. Those of you with children get what I'm talking about.
I have been teaching Nasri, my Afghan friend, to read for about 12 weeks now. We have lessons every Monday night and by golly, if that woman- smart cookie that she is- isn't reading phonetically already! I can't believe how ecstatic it makes me feel to see her putting it together and figuring it all out. To see how reading opens someone's world up- Wow! Its a speechless feeling!
I have been thinking back; when did I learn to read? Its hard to remember exactly, but I do have a few vivid memories of my Dad and I, nestled in the big blue recliner in our living room, sounding out big words in Larry Niven books. I am so grateful to my parents for the many ways they opened up my world.
So if you're listening, my two cents on the matter: Find someone who doesn't know how to read and... teach them!
(If you're having trouble finding someone, I know a whole apartment complex full of refugees who could use your help!!)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Humans and Hospitals
A few observations about humans and hospitals...
Overseas, I was saddened and sickened by the care people received in hospitals. Mirwais Hospital, where I observed for a few days in 2006 still remains one of the worst memories of my entire life. Two separate but distinct events- one in which a baby was killed out of ignorance, and another in which a nomad woman giving birth was treated (literally) like an animal- cemented in my mind that if I got sick in Afghanistan, the hospital was the LAST place I was going to go.
I am beginning to think the only difference in Mirwais and hospitals here in the US might be blank checks. In the last 2 years, I have seen little kids come to the hospital and die, almost die, loose some brain function or become brain dead because of 1) first and foremost, their disease process and 2) mistakes doctors and other health care personnel made while trying to save them.
Maybe this is so real to me because once as a student, I made a huge mistake during a code, too. Luckily someone else caught my mistake, and fixed it. I had to try to remember for a long time that you can't kill someone during a code; they are already dead. Whatever you are doing can only possibly bring them back to life, Lord willing that they live.
It seems to me that the problem with hospitals is not always the amount of education instilled in their workers or the resources available to them, but the simple fact that they are run by humans. Human people; regular, imperfect, mistake-making people.
Would those children have died or been seriously hurt if nothing had been done by medical people? Some yes and some no. I can guarantee you that EVERY doctor has made mistakes. Its up to chance and fate whether those mistakes cost someone their life.
I don't know how many parents I have seen get angry with the doctors... but I don't hear any of them jumping to let us know what dose of dopamine they think we should have given their child to maintain the correct mean arterial pressure. Its easy to get frustrated when you aren't the one doing the procedure or prescribing the medicines. Of course it would be wonderful to have the best of the best, but don't forget that medical caregivers are just people. They forget things. And having an expectation that you or your child will receive perfect care and be fixed on demand is a little too lofty an ideal for such a fallen race as humankind. I guess my only thought is that if you don't want any mistakes made, you should try to find a hospital run by another species.
Overseas, I was saddened and sickened by the care people received in hospitals. Mirwais Hospital, where I observed for a few days in 2006 still remains one of the worst memories of my entire life. Two separate but distinct events- one in which a baby was killed out of ignorance, and another in which a nomad woman giving birth was treated (literally) like an animal- cemented in my mind that if I got sick in Afghanistan, the hospital was the LAST place I was going to go.
I am beginning to think the only difference in Mirwais and hospitals here in the US might be blank checks. In the last 2 years, I have seen little kids come to the hospital and die, almost die, loose some brain function or become brain dead because of 1) first and foremost, their disease process and 2) mistakes doctors and other health care personnel made while trying to save them.
Maybe this is so real to me because once as a student, I made a huge mistake during a code, too. Luckily someone else caught my mistake, and fixed it. I had to try to remember for a long time that you can't kill someone during a code; they are already dead. Whatever you are doing can only possibly bring them back to life, Lord willing that they live.
It seems to me that the problem with hospitals is not always the amount of education instilled in their workers or the resources available to them, but the simple fact that they are run by humans. Human people; regular, imperfect, mistake-making people.
Would those children have died or been seriously hurt if nothing had been done by medical people? Some yes and some no. I can guarantee you that EVERY doctor has made mistakes. Its up to chance and fate whether those mistakes cost someone their life.
I don't know how many parents I have seen get angry with the doctors... but I don't hear any of them jumping to let us know what dose of dopamine they think we should have given their child to maintain the correct mean arterial pressure. Its easy to get frustrated when you aren't the one doing the procedure or prescribing the medicines. Of course it would be wonderful to have the best of the best, but don't forget that medical caregivers are just people. They forget things. And having an expectation that you or your child will receive perfect care and be fixed on demand is a little too lofty an ideal for such a fallen race as humankind. I guess my only thought is that if you don't want any mistakes made, you should try to find a hospital run by another species.
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