Monday November 17, 2008

What an awful day. We usually dread every Monday because it starts off early and sweaty as we run to the market and haul all our groceries before we start rounds in the morning. Also with market day in PC, that means the clinic is always busy. Today though... This 9 year old girl comes to us so sick. Skin boutons everywhere, diarrhea, pneumonia, can't eat or drink because of so much pain. I did the HIV test for her and felt my stomach drop when I saw the positive result. A little rage thrown in there too. Thinking, seriously, this is so wrong. Her mother had already died who most likely gave it to her at the beginning of her life. We decided to keep her with us until she can go to the hospital in LaPointe where they can do tests and give medications outpatient for free. But it is awful to see how she is suffering.

Then Annelies and I spent most of the day with two other babies; one dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea and the other with a very high fever. It was almost getting to the time to wrap up the day when we heard that the woman who was in labor all day by the clinic had meconium in her water so we had to wait it out; wait for the baby to come (which is my favorite thing to do in the whole world). The baby finally came around 6 o'clock after some pitocin and IV fluid, but it wasn't breathing and meconium everywhere (baby's first poop for all you non medicals). We did CPR for some time while Anne Marie suctioned out her lungs, everyone huddled into the little side room of the clinic, the three of us with our headlamps and a pile of women behind us. The baby started to come to life slowly; it was a miracle, but I don't know how much damage was done during that time - hopefully not another Ismael.

By that time it was late and Annelies and I decided to just do rounds at the hospital before going home. We were hungry and Annelies had a raging headache. We would do it fast right? But then I saw our newest little malnutrition baby, so so dry. Apparently diarrhea all day, but no one thought to come and get us from the clinic all day. I tried to give him some oral rehydration serum, but it was all just coming out his mouth. I was so frustrated and tired I had to stop and walk away. I sat outside for a bit while and cried a few drops (Bendji at my side of course). Too overwhelmed, too frustrated to do anything else. We ended up bringing him back to the clinic and I tubed him while Annelies ran to get Anne Marie. I was thinking, ok IV and tube - this is going to be all night. They finally came and Anne Marie said no; she felt like we needed to send them home; he is too bad, too sick and in reality we can't handle watching another baby die after we already lost three over the weekend. I'm sorry to say I was so relieved; so relieved Anne Marie actually drew the line and said we can't do it.