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Friday, December 14, 2012

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am working as a Child Life Specialist in a hospital where we are receiving victims from a major catastrophe in Guam. There was an earthquake in the Philippines, and that caused a tsunami in Guam. The island is so small, many people were swept away. It was a 12 foot wave. This particular family lost the mom and their little boy. They were walking to their car and the little girl fell down. The rushing water pulled her under a truck and she held onto the truck. The little boy was in a stroller with his mom pushing him. The water swept them both away. The girl was found hours later when the truck driver returned to his truck. The dad had already been looking for his family since the tsunami ended. This girl suffered abrasions to her hands and legs from holding onto the truck and the debri  that scraped her legs while she was holding onto the truck. Her major difficulty was emotional. She saw her mom and little brother get carried away in the water and is having nightmares about the screaming she heard.
They transferred this family to another Micronesian island, Palau. I am a CLS at the local hospital. the ED doctor wants to keep her for observation. I will ask dad to tell me about their extended family, their customs about family members passing away, their food choices, and any suggestions he has for comforting his daughter. I hope that by gathering this information, I can enable them to accept what has happened and to begin healing. I will do my best to offer hope and comfort to this family and encourage them to get to a place where healing can begin.

4 comments:

  1. Deb,

    Wow! That is an amazing story. Very interesting how you chose to do this assignment. It was a great twist that I enjoyed.

    Good job,
    Cortnee :)

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  2. Deb,that is very sad what happen to the people in Guam. I know you was very scared of the situation that was going on there.I think that was sad how the little children seen her mom and brother get carried away in the water.

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  3. Very creative blog! It sounds like you understand the appropriate questions to ask. I think helping this family would be a great challenge but well worth the hard work.

    Josie

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  4. Deb,
    The strength that the little girl possessed was truly amazing, although her mother and sibling were lost in the storm she is able to see another day, and experience an opportunity to grow and become the young woman her mother would of desired.

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