I'm taking care of a 20-year-old Bosnian immigrant named Slobo Trbanik, who was brought in to our hospital a few days ago by his worried mother.

Slobo was injured back in his native Bosnia-Hergezovina  a little over ten years ago, when he was a young child:  he stepped on a land mine; it nearly blew him in half.  He suffered catastrophic injuries that rendered him paralyzed from the waist on down.  He uses crutches and braces to get around.

The reason Slobo was in our hospital was because he was suffering from a high fever of 103.5 degrees and severe abdominal pain:  he was quickly going into a state of shock.  Tests revealed an inflamed appendix. 

Slobo was rushed directly into surgery.  The appendix, about ready to burst, was successfully removed.

Now Slobo is resting comfortably in the Intensive Care Unit, where he is closely being monitored and cared for.

Slobo is a congenial young man with a gentle personality.  Even though life has been hard for him so far, he finds reason to smile every day: he loves, appreciates, lives life to the full.

Slobo and his mother, Veruca, immigrated to the United States of America a few short years ago.  Both still speak very little in the way of English (but are able to communicate through one of our nurses, Magda Vidravitch, who came from Bosnia herself 10 years ago); they are able to make their wants/needs known through pantomiming or by utilizing facial expressions.

Both Slobo and Veruca are very nice people.

I find Slobo Trbanik to be a very pleasant young man; taking care of him has been nothing but a joy.  He has not complained once, even when we have to stick another needle into him or insert another tube; everything is answered politely, with a soft, "Yes, ma'am" or "No, ma'am". 

I wish all of my patients were like Slobo Trbanik!  My job would be a heck of a lot easier, that is for darn sure!

~Written by Jane E. Doe, R.N., Nashville, Tennessee. :)