for Private Eugene Sharp words do not come easily to mind. Sometimes her gaze shifts and she almost speaks to him. monosyllabicinside Low soundfilling each sentence with as few words as possible, as if language economy makes it easier for you to deal with your new reality. He was on duty last December Donetskinside eastern Ukrainewhen it’s part of bullet. Epidemic completely severed his foot and right leg. Since then, a public hospital From Lviv in western Ukraine.
Eugeneoriginally from Zhytomir, he shares the same fate as Igor Bolney as himself. broken at war. However, Igor is originally from Dnipro and was a miner by profession until the invasion of Russia began. Then he decided to enlist in the army and was sent to fight in the south of the country. Is there a land mine marked the before and after. He says the device exploded while he was on duty. Igor remembers exactly the moment it happened. “We were going to the occupied territory. herson, near the Dnieper River and it was 11 in the morning of October 31. Because of this, unfortunately, I could not reach Kherson (the city was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in mid-November). This is one of my biggest regrets,” he added, adding that he should stay in this rehabilitation for at least three more months.
Eugene And igor has two soldiers between ukrainian army reflection of a phenomenon that is difficult to hide: many broken, mostly military, who is leaving the war in Ukraine. HE fire between gunner And thousands of mines Plants grown in Ukrainian fields are responsible for this tragic increase in amputee cases across the country. Men and women whose bodies will bear the scars of a lifetime of war – though men first and foremost.
Prosthesis prices are high
Inside Saint Panteleimon public hospital related to LvivTechnician Nazar Bahnyuk, one of those in charge, works where Eugene and Igor are treated. producing between prosthesis. Bahnyuk confirms that the number of patients is increasing and many of them have serious amputations.
“One of the problems – says Bahnyuk – is that soldiers are given first aid quickly on the battlefield. They put tourniquets on them, but sometimes they wait up to two days to be evacuated.” In this way, the waiting time complicates the recovery process and sometimes irreparably compromises the recovery possibility. affected limbssays toilet.
However, this is not the only difficulty. “Another issue is that most of them are young and strong, who want and need functional and durable components, but these expensive dentures“, Bahnyuk says about these artifacts, which may cost. 15.000 € Piece. What is not known for sure is its number. amputees In the country because the Government considers this data as sensitive information. “Maybe it’s classified information because the government doesn’t want to upset people,” Bahnyuk elaborates.
Yet great amputee wave it is so obvious that they are telling that he is sick only in this center from the hospital. 200 patients Rehabilitation is a process that requires a series of tests before it is on waiting lists for therapies and implantation of prosthetics.
poor mental health
-also physical injuriesIn addition mental. Because there are many people after experiencing this trauma. mentally exhausted. “After war and captivity, their psychological health is not very good. It’s hard to hear what they’ve been through.” physiotherapist Ruksana SmilaThe 24-year-old sees more than a dozen patients a day to help them get used to their new body.
On some posters on one side of the rehabilitation center, donors who meet the needs of the amputees who come to this building are also indicated. a few humanitarian organizations European, including Germany and Malta. A significant part of the treatments and prostheses are covered by themselves. the reason is that Ukraine He doesn’t have enough resources to take care of anyone who leaves his body on the battlefield.