The Votoka team continues to provide quality nursing after-care, trauma counselling and reintegration training to the 4 remaining patients from the May campaign. From a total of 213 women to care for at the completion of operations, the final 4 women are still recovering and awaiting the result of their operation. All the other women have received their discharge from hospital and returned to their homes.
It is always a joyous but anxious time as the women wait to find out if their operation was a success. Some women cry and shout for joy, some laugh and sing, some cry and cry and cry for all the suffering they had endured which has finally come to an end. Some cry from disappointment and devastation when their surgery was not successful. It is not only their own hopes that are dashed, but the pain is compounded by witnessing the joy of their sisters who are cured. They often ask, "Why not me? What have I done wrong that I can't be cured too? Why has God forsaken me?"
Part of the work of our team is to ensure the women understand that they may not be cured. They may require multiple operations. For some women, there simply is no cure. Our team is there for all of the women. To share in their joy, to suffer along in their pain, and to provide them with tools to manage both. Even for the women who are cured physically, the psychological and emotional trauma they have suffered remains. There is no miracle cure. Those wounds are less visible, but also need treatment. Our trauma and reintegration team are dedicated to helping all the women understand and deal with their trauma.
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