When it comes to nurses, many people think of angels in white who is running around the hospital. They are kind, meticulous and considerate. However, some angels in white are active in the mountains and forests, covered in white and dusty. In the "leprosy village", which many people avoid, they are not afraid of being dirty and tired. They can not only help patients resist the disease, but also be guardians of their hearts, blocking other people’s strange eyes for them, helping them regain their confidence and lead a normal life.
Liu Dafei, head nurse of Dafu Dermatosis Prevention and Treatment Institute in Yiyang City, is such a nurse. She serves the physically and mentally injured patients in the remote corner of Yiyang, Hunan Province, not only guarding their physical and mental health, but also serving them tea and water, washing and cooking, which has become their dependence. Day after day, year after year, the best 26 years of life, Liu Dafei spent on leprosy patients in Dafu Dermatosis Prevention and Treatment Institute of Yiyang City, and she interpreted Nightingale’s oath with every move. Now that people are middle-aged, she said that the most romantic thing may be to grow old with these leprosy patients.
Leprosy has a gloomy history in China for thousands of years. Leprosy patients are always facing great pressure from the fear of it in ancient times to the discrimination against it in modern times. Liu Dafei’s father is a doctor in the leprosy village. Influenced by him, Liu Dafei has a natural affinity for leprosy patients since childhood. When others are complaining about the horror of leprosy patients, she follows her father and watches him treat the patients. When there are not enough hands, she can help a little. When she comes back from school, she will chat and play games with leprosy patients.
Zhou Youchu was the first patient that Liu Dafei came into contact with after work. His patients called him "leprosy" because he was the oldest old man in hospital, with deformed hands, feet and face, especially foot ulcers. Liu Dafei, who just joined the work, accepted this arduous task with enthusiasm. She made a special nursing plan for Zhou Youchu, cleaning and applying medicine to him every day, explaining the common sense of leprosy and the attention of daily life … After a year of careful nursing by Liu Dafei, Zhou Youchu’s condition was controlled.
Guo Dengzhou wandered to Hunan in 1971 and lived in Liu Dafei’s leprosy village for 40 years. In 2013, Guo Dengzhou had another heart attack, and his long-cherished wish of going back to his hometown in Guizhou was almost impossible to realize because of his status as a leper. After Liu Dafei learned about it, he made many efforts. She has contacted relevant parties in Guizhou and Hunan Satellite TV public channel "Helping Girls" column group and other parties. In March 2013, with the efforts of Liu Dafei, Guo Dengzhou finally returned to his hometown in Guizhou. Surprisingly, Guo Dengzhou’s family avoided seeing it. Liu Dafei helped to communicate many times, explained the characteristics of leprosy, and eliminated the panic psychology. Then he talked about Guo Dengzhou’s homesickness and moved with emotion. After more than 20 conversations and persuasion, Guo Dengzhou finally reunited with his relatives and fulfilled his wish. However, during Liu Dafei’s stay in Guizhou, her father suddenly became seriously ill and wanted her to go back quickly. Liu Dafei is thinking about going back after Guo Dengzhou’s business is over. Unexpectedly, his father died suddenly, and Liu Dafei failed to make the final journey. "As a daughter, I am really unfilial, but I think my father will forgive me because he understands my feelings for leprosy patients." Liu Dafei said.
Liu Dafei’s leprosy village has a group of leprosy patients with an average age of 62, and she regards them as family from the bottom of her heart. Liu Dafei has a small notebook, which records the preferences of patients. When she goes out, she always tries to bring something back. She knows the patient’s clothes by heart. Every New Year’s Eve, she will accompany people in leprosy village to have a reunion dinner. "Here comes the flying girl!" Every time, as soon as Liu Dafei entered the ward, the patients gathered around to say hello. In the past 26 years, Liu Dafei has cared for hundreds of people, and he has never shouted bitterness and tiredness.
As a professional nurse, patience and enthusiasm are not enough, but also excellent professional skills. After work, she often taught herself, encountered clinical problems and consulted doctors and other colleagues many times. Sometimes, for an ulcer patient who has been cured for a long time, she even went to the library of Yiyang City by car for several hours to inquire about relevant literature.
Liu Dafei knows that many misfortunes and experiences of leprosy patients are caused by the dual factors of disease and prejudice. As a nurse, she has a more important mission-to eliminate social discrimination against leprosy patients. Over the years, she has also been practicing.
Dafu Dermatosis Prevention and Treatment Institute, where Liu Dafei is located, is the only unit in Hunan Province where medical staff and leprosy patients work and live in the same hospital. In order to eliminate discrimination, she often takes her colleagues to the nearby people’s homes to carry out popular science and hold lectures on leprosy prevention and treatment in various towns and villages in Yiyang City. She also took the patient’s hand for a walk on the road, ate with them at the same table, and settled her home in the leprosy village. "It will not take a day or two to eliminate people’s discrimination, but I believe it will always be effective." Liu Dafei said. Once, she wanted sick people to visit Shaoshan, but she didn’t expect a lot of resistance. As soon as the driver heard that he was a leper, he refused to take the bus. The refusal of the innkeeper was more direct, and he hung up the phone with a sentence "Don’t hurt me". The more so, the more Liu Dafei feels that he should take them out, because it is also a good opportunity to eliminate discrimination. After many contacts, she finally got her wish. After arriving in Shaoshan, she held hands, ate and slept with leprosy patients, whether in scenic spots or restaurants. "I know that many people must be watching me. I just want to tell them that leprosy is not terrible."
Under her influence, the people in the village began to take the initiative to contact leprosy patients, and they would also take the initiative to invite patients to have tea at home. What is more gratifying is that many people in the village have married leprosy patients and have healthy children. The courtyard of leprosy village used to be forbidden in the eyes of villagers, but now it has become the most lively place for square dance nearby. In addition, college student volunteers visit leprosy patients in leprosy village every year, play games and chat with them, bring snacks they haven’t eaten, and help them cook and clean up.
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