spicy ladies

ok, one of my "owed" posts.

we recently had a group of very "spicy" ladies aboard the ship as patients. they were ladies with a vesico-vaginal fistula (or vvf). in their homes, families, culture--they were outcasts. they had all come from up north and spent a week or two together in the hospitality center bonding. they, in essence, became each others' families. and, they were introduced to these strange yovos (white people) who live on a ship and seemed to love and care for them despite the language barrier and the fact that they were "wet" (or constantly leaking urine).

we've had fistula patients aboard the ship before. but this group, probably b/c of their bonding time in the hospitality center, were especially spicy. each victory of someone being "dry" or defeat of someone going to the ICU was experienced by the whole group. they cheered each other on during pelvic floor exercises. one of the ladies, ramatu, who later came on as a day volunteer, would lead them up and down the corridor marching and singing a military chant as they got their daily exercise. it was good to see them marching (literally) single file up the corridor chanting a freedom song each carrying their catheter.

when the ladies are "dry" we hold a ceremony called a dress ceremony on the ship for them. they are each given a new dress and have makeup done and hair done (ususally though their newly done hair hides under the elaborate headdress) and come in to the ward singing and they are able to share their stories and they are prayed over and given a few small gifts that speak to the healing and newness that they have in their physical bodies but can also experience in their spiritual bodies.

this group of ladies added their own touch to the dress ceremonies. even those who were still recovering from surgery and weren't leaving the ship dry "dressed" for the ceremony. they would have a shower and put on a clean gown. and then used their towels to create a headdress.

so, the "spicy" comes from taylor who calls people with that extra verve spicy and these ladies were definitely spicy. it was great having them on the ship. they radiated joy.