Last Tuesday was a fairly slow day. Not much going on as it had rained the night before and many patients could not get down the muddy mountain paths. Lori and I were happy-an easy day, finally. Late that afternoon, a pregnant lady came to the clinic. I saw her sitting on the bench waiting to get her chart. She appeared to be in labor by the way she was acting. That is not uncommon here and most patients are able to make it back home to deliver with the local midwife. We do not do deliveries unless it is an emergency. Lori and the nurse checked her out. She was fully dilated and ready to deliver. The problem was she was only 6.5 months along and the head of the baby was not coming out first.
We moved her into the emergency room. Within a few minutes, we had to decide if we would try and send her into Port to deliver or if we would do it here. Upon a second look, we could see a little tiny foot still inside the sac and the cord of the baby. She was ready to push and we knew that she would not make it into Port (an almost 2 hour drive).
Her water broke and out came a tiny, tiny boy weighing 1 pound 13 ounces. His heart was beating, but he was not breathing. In just a few seconds, we saw another little foot. Twins-Lori yelled. The mother was bleeding very, very bad. A second baby born was born weighing 2 pounds 4 ounces. The babies were moved to another table where I and Kris, a visiting doctor, began working on them. Lori was very worried about the mother. She said, “We are losing her, we are losing her.” There were two other staff nurses with us that were able to help Lori with the mom and I stuck with the babies.
All of a sudden Lori said, “There’s another one!” What! Triplets. It was a little girl weighing 1 pound 14 ounces. Kris, Roberta (his wife) and I stayed working on the babies. I had to call another staff member in so I could run across the yard to get supplies. As I am running, I am yelling to the staff and family to pray..pray very hard that 1 of the 4 of our patients will live.
IV’s were started on the mother. Meds were given. She became as stable as she could be. Lori stepped out to call Dixie at GLA (God’s Littlest Angels). All the time, we are working on the babies and trying to get them to take breaths. Dixie gave us some advice and we set up and oxygen hood for the two remains boys. The baby girl had died.
We worked on the baby on the left. He was breathing on his own for awhile, but stopped multiple times and died around 10 that night.
The boys together before they died.
We were all so sad.
The one remaining triplet fighting to live just after his brother died.
The smallest 1.13 pound twins lived until the next morning. GLA sent out Susan and another nurse to pick him up. It was such a blessing to meet Susan. GLA has been so good in taking care of out little ones for us. They transported the baby back up to GLA with a portable oxygen machine. He lived for about 1 day before he went to be with Jesus.
The two that died here in Cazale were buried together the next day here in the local cemetery. There was a team here from AFH (Artists For Hope) this week. A team member had made and brought in some blankets that I had requested in an earlier post. They were all used this week. The mother returned hom with her husband. She was very weak and tired from the blood loss but should have a full recovery. Please keep her and the family in your prayers. They have lost 2 other children and have 6 living.
Job 1:21
New International Version (NIV)
21and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”
Comments(9)
Chrystal says
October 17, 2011 at 1:04 pmPoor little angels…how is Mom?
Kathy says
October 17, 2011 at 1:22 pmMy heart grieves for the mom.
Faith says
October 17, 2011 at 2:26 pmLicia and Lori
I have 30 more blankets. Just wonder how to get them to you
Licia says
October 17, 2011 at 3:06 pmThe mom is very sad along with the dad. They have 6 living children and 2 other besides the triplets that have died. She lost a lot of blood, so she is weak but doing fair. She would appreciate your prayers.
lora mapp says
October 17, 2011 at 4:52 pmI am so thankful that the mom had all of you to help her. I can’t imagine what she would have done otherwise. Prayers for you all.
Jamie says
October 18, 2011 at 1:57 pmI’m sorry for the family, God bless you for being there for people.
Debbie Woodward says
October 18, 2011 at 3:52 pmFaith,
Please feel free to send your blankets to our Minnesota warehouse.
You may send them to me at:
Debbie Woodward
Main Office
Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
I will either send them in suitcases with teams from Healing Haiti or send them on the next container.
Thank you.
Shannon says
October 18, 2011 at 7:11 pmI wonder how well Moringa would grow in haiti? Have you heard of it?
http://www.ethiopianchild.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa
things that make you go, hmmmmm
Katie says
October 19, 2011 at 9:06 pmThis breaks my heart! I am a NICU nurse and know that in the States, at least these babies may have had a fighting chance to survive. It is so sad that because of where you “happen” to be born, you are either entitled or not entitled to basic healthcare. Praying for you to have the strength to keep going, and praying for this grieving mom.