Phrases you don't hear everyday...

Had you been sitting in our cabin on Wednesday afternoon, you would have heard the following:

• “I’m not giving my foot away.”
• “I’ve got a leg and I know how to use it.”
• “Eli, can I hold your leg?”
• “This piece of plaster looks like a meteorite.”

Eli and Caroline (and the rest of the 1st-3rd graders!) got to go on another field trip!  This time they actually got off the ship...barely :).  They were able to visit the Physio/Rehab tent down on the dock.  Our good friend, Mr. Nick Veltjens, is the Rehab Team Leader.  He did a fantastic job of explaining what he and his team do every day.

Here are pictures, quotes and thoughts from their field trip!  (All the captions are quotes from Caroline)

"The tent is on the dock. It’s a pretty big tent. When you’re inside it still feels like a tent – a really big tent with air conditioning. It’s 2 rooms." -Caroline

 

"The patients go to this tent if their bones need to be straightened up. Mr. Nick Veltjens puts casts on people so that their legs can heal and get straight. He does arms and stuff, too." - Eli

"Mr. Nick was directing us -- telling us how to straighten a patient's leg so that they can walk normally again.  I was holding the leg and Isabella was the surgeon.  Mr. Nick doesn't do the surgeries.  Mr. Nick does the casting after the surgeries."

 

"Jacob is the surgeon cutting through the bone.  I'm just watching.  Everyone else is holding the leg...not a real leg....if it was a real leg there would be someone laying on the bed attached to it."

 

"Jacob is casting Eli's leg. First you have these little scarf things that you put on the leg and foot.  Then you get this roll and dip it in water and bring it all the way to the bottom for a few seconds.  It will get loose...then you start wrapping it around the leg.  Then you put more layers - of hard stuff.  Soft layer...then hard hard hard layers - 3 of them."





"Eli has his cast on!"



"Mr. Nick is teaching Eli how to use crutches."

"I'm watching Mr. Nick teach Eli how to use his crutches."

"My class and Eli's class and the 3rd grade with Flat Stanleys and Flat Stellas.  I liked wearing the uniforms.  They kept our clothes from getting dirty with plaster."

Another successful field trip!!  (and a fun way to tell you about the Physio/Rehab Tent!)  Eli got to keep his cast as a souvenier (the source of the quotes at the beginning of this post).  Not sure what we'll do with it now...but we've got it. 

Other fun fact: Mr. Nick Veltjens is one of the best in the world at what he does (no joke!).  He leads conferences and trainings and is often asked to teach on the Ponsetti Casting method AND he's a super fun, God-honoring guy!  He may be the king of coming up with impromptu games - his ability to come up with games on the spot was quite the lifesaver for a lot of people throughout our Gateway and Field Service!  We're so very thankful for the way he invests in our family - and specifically in our children.  Mercy Ships (and the Cash Family!) is blessed to have him as a crew member!! 

Alternate post titles:

• Eli didn't really break his leg.
• The kids are super cute in scrubs!!!
• Flat Stanley & Flat Stella (and grades 1-3) go to Rehab
• Field Trip to the Physio Tent
• Do these kids ever do school work? Seems like they are always going on Field Trips...

Surely there will be more to come.