One of my most well remembered patients was a Iraq street kid called Hatim who was accidentally shot in the Iraq war when he was only 13 years old.
I was the ward manager when Hatim arrived in Sheffield and helped to supervise his care when he was on my ward.... I do recall that the isolated and small framed pre teen had a huge cultural challenge when coping with the rehabilitative process a paraplegic has to deal with in a rather strange, straight talking Yorkshire City!
I also remember taking him out to Hillsborough park with my welsh terrier Finlay. Fin was always tied to his wheelchair and Fin's laid back and rather sweet personality brought the little Iraqi boy out of his shell when we often "ambled" through the Victorian park.....
Hatim moved on to community rehab after many months with us, yet even today I often think of how he is doing as a grown up man in his new life over in this country....
so tonight I used the amazing google and found that he is now a member of the esteemed sheffield steeler Wheelchair basket ball team!
I would love to see him participate in the 2012 Para Olympics.......the last tme I saw him he had the beginings of a right Yorkshire accent!
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| Hatim is second from right |
That's really cool! I am sorry he is in the wheel chair, but he hasn't let it keep him down. Amazing growth! I'll bet you are proud for anything that helped him.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great when we find folks we know who are doing well, especially in such trying circumstances! It always makes me feel like I've done something to make a difference in someone's life.
ReplyDeleteThat's fabulous. That was a wonderful thing you did for him.... you're a darling! xxx
ReplyDeleteYou are a treasure, John! Hope you are appreciated for all the wonderful things you do at home and at work. I'm sure people are very grateful to have you in their lives. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteHuman Beings are tuly amazing - and I mean both Hatim and yourself John - restores my faith. x
ReplyDeleteHe was, as I recall an amazing little boy.
ReplyDeleteSans family and with basic English he coped with his rehab with a remarkable lightness.
Being the ward manager I could cherry pick the nice parts of his care so to speak, the hard work was completed by a rather "firm but fair" Irish Staff nurse called Helen, who quite deservedly became ward Manager after I left....
Writing about how sweet william is with Children yesterday reminded me of how our old welsh terrier, Finlay was with kids too...I used him a great deal in a way of accessing some patients and giving them a "warm" contact when they needed it.........
What a heart-warming story John. For all the success stories there must be so many failures but that makes this story so much more pleasing.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder how I would cope with such a disability - I read of such amazing courage and rehabilitation - I suppose some people rise to the challenge and some don't.
A young man in our village has recently been disabled after a traffic accident. He has just come home from hospital after almost a year.
How neat is that?! You helped to make him who he has become Nurse Gray. What an accomplishment. Good ole Google!
ReplyDelete"Way to go Hatim!" ANd "Way to go John!"
Sorry to hear about his injury but how cool that he is so driven!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to know that he is now doing well. You obviously helped him a great deal at the time and it must be very satisfying to be able to catch up with his progress.
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear that for you and him - good news is very scarce these days. I remember hillsborough park when the Sheffield show used to be there in the 70s when the council still used to have a few bob and it was only 10p on the buses !
ReplyDeletemister d
ReplyDeleteWe lived just off the park (wynyard Road)....It was alovely green park except for the few yobbos with pit bulls!
Something like this John
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNnMYxUK-40
From street to success! Well done, and I hope you get to see Hatim do just that!
ReplyDeleteina
ReplyDeletesounds like he's already there
How wonderful to know that he is doing so well. :)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! All the best to Hatim - it must have helped him a lot, having you around!
ReplyDeleteLovely post. Excellent to read that his progress has been so good. I'm sure you played an important part in it. Well done.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and sobering reminder that no matter how many mountain climbs we struggle to survive occasionally, characters like Hatin climb ever taller mountains still, every single day. And you my friend are a fine example of true selflessness for some of us more able bodied citizens to follow.
ReplyDeleteHow intensely warming it must have been for you to discover his now active roll in basketball. Bravo to both of you and the best of good fortune to Hatin for his on going achievements in basketball.