March 3, 2008

• Special Delivery

  February 24, 2008

   

  It was 5:30am Sunday morning and there was a knock at the bedroom window.  It was Bridget, the weekend Clinic Assistant who works from Friday at 4pm until Sunday at 4pm.  Well, as I opened my eyes I realized that Sal was already up and out in the Land Rover heading to town to pick up Richard, the lab technician, because the machine broke yesterday at General while he was processing the labs and he had to finish them here this morning.  As I laid there I remembered that Geoffrey the other Clinical Officer had also gone into town Saturday to stay overnight and go to his church in Livingstone….so it was my turn so to speak.  “What is it Bridget,” I asked. She said, “Harriet’s having contractions.”  I said, “I’ll be there” proceeding to get out of bed, splash water on my face, brush my teeth quickly and throw on a scrub shirt with a pair of capris.  Now you may be thinking, “What’s the big deal, it’s just another baby…but you don’t understand. I have been there for most of the 60 babies....coaching moms, rubbing backs or legs, pushing on bellies when needed, setting up, cleaning up, handing supplies, weighing and bathing newborns…..but I have never been down front and center catching!  That has always been Sal.  When I went over to the clinic which is just through the door, I found that Bridget already had things set up in the delivery room.  Harriet was indeed in the last stages of labor and pushing was about to commence.  A few pushes and I could see the amniotic sac still intact.  It was visible and then receded. Again visible and then receded.  The third time when it became visible it stayed within sight at which time I made sure I was to the side as I took a sterile blade and “broke her water.” Water gushed and Harriet breathed a sigh of relief…But only for a moment.  The next contraction began and she started pushing.  This time a little head with black hair appeared and proceeded to emerge nice and slow.  Once the head was out, I began suctioning and the rest of the little body twisted out just like God intended.  Once completely out, a cry was heard.  A little girl!!  Turns out mom has three other children at home: one boy and two girls.  This is girl number three!!  She was a pretty girl right from the start.  Mom and baby are both doing fine.  When I went to check on her later….grandma came to find me.  Grandma is “Enelia”….the lady who works at the orphanage with the snake bite to her foot.  I wrote a newsletter article about her but I never get to see the newsletters so I don’t know when or if it was put in.  Anyway Enelia grabbed me and gave me a big hug saying in her broken Tonga/English “Renee is coming” Renee is coming”  I could only laugh as she danced out of the room.  Not understanding what that was all about, Bridget laughed and told me,

  “They named the baby Renee.”  J

   

   

  • 5:18 pm
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