Backstory: Some training

[Cossette nó Balm]

I quickly covered the puncture site with the cloth and then massaged the leg around it, pushing the white puss out. While some may find it to be disgusting, I found I was easily able to separate myself from that. I thought of the infection that was in the puss and simply concentrated on ridding the poor boy of it. I tried not to massage to hard though, I wanted to remove the puss but I did not want to cause him pain.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

I watched her. "You are doing well," I said. "Keep going..."

[Cossette nó Balm]

Selwyn's words helped me boost my confidence and I gladly did as he asked. I massaged the leg until I could get no more infection to come out. Even then I made sure that I really could do no more, massaging it from every angle I could imagine.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"That's enough," I said finally. "You've done well. Take the rag away, and wash your hands once more. When you return, I will show you how to bandage the wound."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I carried the rag, carefully, and put it with the other items to be burned later to kill the infection. I then found clean water and scrubbed my hands carefully, making sure there was no place where his infection could hide and spread to another.

When I was finish I returned, hands slightly pink, but ready for the next step.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

When she returned, I picked up another clean rag and dipped it in water, before poring some witch hazel onto it. "Watch," I said. "Your hands are clean, so I do not want you to touch the infection before bandaging." I took the rag I held and dabbed at the entire wound, cleaning it thoroughly. The boy winced and whimpered, but stayed asleep.

I looked at Cossette. "Take a clean bandage and fold it into quarters, and place it over the wound," I said. "Then, wrap another bandage around it to hold it in place, and pin it. Do you understand?"

[Cossette nó Balm]

I watched as Selwyn cleaned the wound, taking note of his method. He then instructed me to make a bandage. "I am pretty sure I do," I said. I then did as he said, the first bandage I folded, making it as perfect of a square as I thought was humanly possible. I placed it carefully, making mind not to touch the wound so that my hands would stay clean. I then took a second rag and wrapped it around his leg and the first bandage.

"Is this tight enough?" I asked, right before I was ready to pin it.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"Yes," I said. "Good work."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I pinned the bandage in place and stepped back just a little so that I could look over my work. I then looked in the young boy's face. He had slept through the entire ordeal. I could not imagine being able to sleep through such a thing. I looked at Selwyn with worry in my eyes, "will he be ok?"

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"With our care and a lot of prayer, yes, he will be," I said. "Though I fear he will always limp."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I was glad for Selwyn's words and decided that I would make sure that I always remembered him in my thoughts and looked in on him when I had time. "A limp is better than death," I said. "Mayhap he'll learn to not let it affect his life."

[Selwyn nó Balm]

I smiled sadly. "It will undoubtedly affect his life, it is foolish to hope for otherwise," I said. I looked at her. "If you learn anything today it is this. Disability happens to everyone, some younger than others. But a disability does not make a life worse than it was before, it just makes it different. It is up to us to treat all of our patients as whole beings, rather than as deficient."

[Cossette nó Balm]

Selwyn was right and the truth was saddening. I frowned, but kept my composure. "I will," I told him in response to treating the patients as whole. "I suppose that if they do develop a disability they would not want us reminding them of it if we don't have too." I said.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"That's also true," I said. "In time, a disability becomes part of who a person is."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I hoped, inside, that I would never have a disability. Though it is still better than death I believe. I thought of my poor little sister Hannah, if only she had just had a maimed leg, instead of her entire body, leaving her more than dead.

I shuttered at the thought but then turned my thoughts back to reality. "Hopefully he will still be able to live a full life, even with his disability."

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"With a positive attitude, he will be," I said, "but I think that is true even of able-bodied people. For if the soul is sick, no medicine can really cure that." I turned to her. "Come, let's wash our hands. I think such good work deserves a little reward."

[Cossette nó Balm]

What Selwyn said was very true. I have always been in a life that allowed me to interact with a lot of different personalities and there were those who seemed without hope, no matter how good life had been to them.

I followed Selwyn to wash our hands, wondering what sort of reward he had in mind. Whatever it was I was excited for it.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

After we washed our hands and left the infirmary, I led Cossette through the halls to the kitchens. "Wait here a moment," I said, "I'll be right back."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I stood where Selwyn asked, watching him disappear from my site. I thought back to the training with the free time. I had learned massage and how to clean a wound. I would think on the boy and would check on him in a few days time. I hoped that he would prove to be better and not worse.

[Selwyn nó Balm]

Exiting the kitchen, I held out to Cossette a chocolate cookie wrapped in a napkin. "Good work today," I told her. "I'm sure we will work together again soon."

[Cossette nó Balm]

I was surprised with Selwyn returned with the cookie, though I suppose it was something one could find in the kitchens. I did not often eat treats so having one handed to me made it seem like something extra special. "Thank you," I told him with a smile. "I would be happy to work with you again. You are a skilled healer and I am sure there is much more I could learn."

[Selwyn nó Balm]

"Well, thank you," I said. "Enjoy your cookie and your evening."