Skip to main content

Left Behind


One of our new moms died this week leaving behind a beautiful premature baby girl. It was the first maternal death I have experienced in the three years that I have been here and quite possibly the first in the 20 year existence of the the hospital. It was tragic for all of those involved.
The culprit .... acute fatty liver of pregnancy. It used to be that this condition was 100% fatal but with so many incredible advances in technology it has lowered to 18% in the United States. That is still pretty high.
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a very rare condition that can happen toward the end of pregnancy or even up to a few days after delivery.  It happens when the expectant mother has a genetic disorder that causes the "cell's powerhouse, the mitochondira, are not breaking down fatty acids that help the body process proteins, carbohydrates, or lipids(fat). This causes fat molecules to build up in the essential organs such as the liver, kidneys, and even the placenta resulting liver and kidney failure, sepsis, and fetal stress. Like eclampsia, acute fatty livery of pregnancy is cured by immediate delivery of the baby. Sometimes even then it is too late.
Baby's heart rate showing how stressed she was
Argentina came last Wednesday at 34 weeks pregnant already in liver failure and very jaundice. Because she was so sick, the baby was suffering within her. The baby wasn't receiving the oxygen that she desperately needed from the failing placenta.  She was tachycardic with decelerations in her heart rate with every contraction. The baby needed to come out fast or she was going to die. I put an IV in the mom and gave her several different antibiotics in an effort in an effort to stabilize her and off to c-section we went.


Sweet baby "D" was born weighing 4 lbs 13 oz. After needing initial resuscitation to start breathing she proved to be quite the fighter and a very good eater. Mom didn't fair as well as baby "D". She survived the c-section but then continued to get worse over the next few days. Her vital organs continued to shut down and she received 7 units of blood.  In spite of a lot of prayer, a second emergency surgery, and the best care that we could give her, Argentina passed away 6 days after delivery. Her family said that she was not not a believer.



Prayer Requests
I have to be honest, it's been difficult lately. So many difficult cases and the hospital is short on doctors. Dengue is still reeking havoc on the community causing lots of admissions to the hospital. A 6 yo girl and a 19 year old young man have died from dengue and three women have lost their unborn babies from it. I have been discouraged by this lately. Wondering how God is working in this. We work so hard only to lose them in the end.

Pray for more long term doctors who commit to the care of these people both physically and spiritually.

Pray for the missionary staff as a whole that we don't lose sight of why we are here: not just to take care of these people physically but ultimately to share the gospel.

Financial provision is always a prayer request. I would not be here without you all! If you feel led to support me financially, please click here

Praises
Thank you for everyone who donated baby clothes! I have such fun making the gift bags for the new moms. The clothes are so cute! This will be an ongoing need as so many babies are born here.  If you are interested in donating baby clothes, please contact me or check out baby bags wish list on Amazon. Anything bought through the wish list will go directly to the shipping container to be brought down to the Hospital. How cool!



Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 26, 2019 at 6:46 AM

    I miss you and will continue to pray for you, Loma de Luz and the people of Honduras!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Five Letter Word

"Quiet" ... My mere utterance of this taboo word in the hospital brings scolding from who ever hears it.  The thought being that the word being spoken aloud will bring a return of the craziness. The hospital is QUIET! For several weeks now, the hospital has been in a tranquil state. Clinic has been running as usual every week day with the emergency room and labor ward being open around the clock. But it has been quiet! No traumas, critically ill patients, or babies on ventilators for weeks now.  We are so thankful that God has given us some time of tranquility to rest. To rest physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually and to recover from six really difficult months. The tranquility has brought time to slow down, to enjoy time in the Word, to make cookies, to spend time with friends in the village, to get away for the weekend, to paddle out to the reef and enjoy the beauty of God's creation. Time to stop and watch in the hospital hallway as a young amputee walked...
1 comment
Read more

Stranger Things Have Happened

 As several other single missionary women and I were sitting at the hospital bus stop waiting for the church van to pick us up this morning, we started talking about culture. I am not entirely sure of what started the conversation but Julie said, "Sometimes I feel like as an American I don't really have culture." "Sure you have culture!" exclaimed Annie, "You have a very mixed culture. An American culture. Americans are very independent, value their individuality and privacy, have high expectations, and very success driven."   We went on to talk about the difference in American versus Honduran culture. Hondurans are very dependent on each other as a family unit and there is no such thing as privacy. Everyone knows everything about everyone even without Facebook. As a Honduran, if you are admitted in the hospital, everyone in your community knows you are there and what is wrong with you even if they don't personally know you. You might  even get...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brutus and Tiny Tim

  "CQ Balfate! We need help in the labor room NOW!" Visiting midwife Abigail's normally calm, nothing-phases-me voice came calling on the radio in complete panic one evening in June.  I jumped over the mattress that a friend and I were trying to pull up my apartment stairs tripping the rest of the way down and ran out the door. "I'm not wearing shoes! Where are my shoes?" I run back inside, grab the nearest pair of flip flops I could find, run back out the door and across the two suspension bridges to the hospital. If Abigail was panicking, then something had to be really wrong.  The baby was being resuscitated by Dr Isaac on the baby warmer when several other of the doctors and I entered the room. He was massive. This was no baby. He was a full grown todddler! "Brutus" (affectionately nicknamed by Dr Ryan) weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs 1oz. He was so big, compared to the average 6lb Honduran baby, that his shoulder was stuck behind his littl...
Post a Comment
Read more