Stella and Tai meet at the hospital - or hōhipera. It’s where they are both having a small operation - or pokanga.
“Hi, my name is Stella and I’m staying overnight.”
“Kia Ora, I’m Rūhī the Ruru. And I’m just keeping an eye on both of you! Ru…ru!”
“Hi, I’m Tai and I’m just here for the day.“
“Let’s look at our activity book while we wait for the nurse - or tapuhi”
While the receptionist asks their whānau some important questions, like the date they were born, Rūhī shows Stella and Tai the waiting area.
Rūhī invites his friends Pipi the Pukeko, Tuku the Tui, and Kora the Kiwi to join them too.
“This is so that everyone knows your name as they take care of you!”
“B
racelet time!”, said a friendly nurse - or tapuhi. They put a bracelet around Stella’s wrist, and another on the ankle of Tai.
“I have one tooooo!” said Rūhī. Though his looked a little different!
The nurse then checked their temperature with a special tool… and squeezed their arm with a funny cuff, as it pumped up. And then put a peg on their fingers!
The nurse then told them that when they wake up, they might have a special bandage - or tākai, but it wouldn’t hurt.
“That’s to check your heart beat… boom boom!”
Then a person wearing blue pyjamas came in.
“That’s the doctor - or tākuta!” whispered Rūhī. “And those aren’t really pyjamas!”
The doctor chatted with Stella, Tai and their whānau, and everyone got to ask questions.
Then the ‘sleep doctor’ came in and they talked about a special medicine - or rongoā, called an-knees-tha-tic (anaesthetic) that would make Stella and Tai fall asleep. Rūhī said he was feeling sleepy just listening!
Then Tai and Stella's whānau came in wearing gowns… everyone laughed.
“You have to wear these in the theatre room.”
Tai and Stella were happy their whānau would be with them until they went into theatre for their operations. Then off they went to their operating rooms.
In the theatre, a mask was gently placed on Stella's face. It smelt nice, and the special medicine made Stella feel warm and sleepy… like being in a nest with Rūhī watching over.
The next thing Stella knew… she was waking up in a place called the recovery room with a friendly smiling nurse. That peg was on a finger again!
"Whee... look at me, I'm flying!"
Then the nurse was giving them a ride to their own room!
“Whee! This is a hoot!” said Rūhī. (This was by far a favourite owl joke for Rūhī.)
tella
felt a bit sore after surgery. But told the nurse and soon had some medicine that made it feel much better.
“The medicine will help you feel better.”
“I gotta fly and check on Tai!”
Stella stayed the whole night in the hospital. The room was very comfy, and had a TV. Plus there were some yummy treats to eat! But best of all... Stella’s whānau had been allowed to stay the night.
Like Stella, Tai thought the sleep had been only for a few minutes. Then next minute… there’s Rūhī and a friendly smiling nurse.
“You’ll be able to see your whānau in five minutes,” said the nurse.
“You’ll be eating an ice block in six!” said Rūhī.
n next to no time, Tai was dressed, and sitting on a cosy lounge chair in the day stay area with an ice block!
“When you go home, your whānau will get some information on how to look after you at home and some special medicine to make you feel well,” said Rūhī.
oth you and Stella can now relax and get well again!” said Rūhī. “It's time to take your things, say goodbye and go home with your whānau."
And that news made Tai and Stella feel much, much better.
