December 9, 2005

  • It's Worth It

    Thursday, December 08, 2005

     

    Thursday is our day off! Clinic is closed on Thursdays and it is the day we go into town and try to get all our weekly errands done.  Then we usually eat out at a restaurant in town before coming back to the farm.  This day off just needs to be shared……

     

    It all started at 7:30 this morning when Sal left in the vehicle to pick up Susan at her village.  You see we had taken her into Livingstone Hospital on Tuesday to get her started on the free government program for HIV meds.  After registering at the Outpatient Department of the hospital and walking over to the clinic building for her to be seen, we found out she still needed bloodwork.  We walked back up to the hospital up the steps to the lab on the second floor only to find out they do these blood tests on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons only. I pleaded our case to the lab manager and he agreed to draw Susan’s blood.  He told us we could pick up the results on Thursday.  So our intention today was to pick up Susan’s results and take her to be started on her Antiretroviral drugs.  Sounds easy, right?  Ah, but you forget this is Africa….

     

    When Sal showed up at the farm, Susan’s partner and brother were both with her.   Susan’s partner also tested positive for HIV, but does not qualify for the program because he is not sick enough right now.  We decided he probably should be logged into their system for monitoring, so we agreed to take him in to be seen also.  Michael and his mother were also waiting at the farm for a ride into Livingstone to the hospital.  Michael is one of the babies with Cerebral Palsy who goes in for physical therapy once a week.

     

    We had planned also to talk with the physical therapist about a clinic patient with half a foot who needs an elevator shoe made.  The man who made the shoes in Livingstone died before this patient was able to have his shoe made and he did not know where else to go….so he came to see us.  So Sal, Susan, her partner Christopher, her brother Franksen, Miriam (Michael’s mom), Michael, Howard (who just asked for a ride to town) and I set out for a quick trip to Livingstone. That was at 9:15…..at 2:00 we were taking Susan back home having completed the entire hospital agenda.  Michael had therapy; Susan’s lab results were retrieved and she was started on a 2 week course of ARV therapy (HIV meds) after being seen in the clinic; Christopher was entered into the system and ordered an antibiotic that the hospital didn’t have (but we did) and the request for a specially made shoe was left to discuss with the occupational therapist when he returned back to work from a holiday. 

     

    After everyone was dropped off, Sal and I decided to go back into town to finish the errands and have dinner.  The time was 2:30.  At 3:00, having just reached town, we received a phone call telling us that one of our OB patients (Alister) was in labor and her husband had come to the farm to get us.  So we immediately turned the car around and drove back to the farm.  We stopped at the clinic to pick up the packed medical bag and Alister’s husband Graham and headed off to his hut in the bush.  Home visits are such an adventure….traveling alone is not for the weak of heart.  Even though this couple live on the farm, we still drove through uncharted territory driving around the lake made from the recent rains, through mud and heavy brush, and over roads with craters as potholes.  We had to stop at one point and walk crossing railroad tracks to get to their hut.  Alister was indeed in labor having contractions she said every 20 minutes lasting about a minute.  Graham had told us she had been in labor 2 hours.  Her water had broke but only trickling, so Sal thought it best to take her back to the clinic to deliver the baby.

     

    No way was I driving….so there I was in the back seat with Alister bouncing all around the back as Sal hurried over the rough terrain thinking he was in the States with lights and sirens.  No she did not deliver in the car….I was praying!!!  Once made comfortable in the bed, she was examined at 6cm dilated, contractions coming every three minutes and lasting 50 seconds.  Fetal Heart Rate was 120 and strong.  It was now 4:30.  At about 5:43, without one sound…only a wince on her face, Alister began to push.  Sal, gloved up and ready began to deliver….only it was not a head…..it was a little butt presenting first!!!!   The baby proceeded to be delivered…butt, legs, arms, then head.  Praise the Lord for the little miracle!!!  A baby girl!!!!  Mom and baby are doing well….Baby weighed 7 pounds, color good, eyes bright, sucking well.  Mom and baby are staying overnight at the clinic for closer observation and will return home in the morning after being cleared for discharge. A female friend is staying with her and another woman came to visit bringing shema to eat..  Where is dad you ask?…..back at the hut with the other two children!!  He declined coming to the clinic…he looked scared when we asked. J Zambian men are not anywhere around when a woman is giving birth!

     

    After getting everyone settled, Sal and I returned home at 8:30….never did get dinner!!

     

    Some things are worth missing meals for…