Friday, January 30, 2009

Delivering a Miracle

Do you believe miracles still occur today? Webster defines a miracle as:
1: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs
2: an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment
3: a divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly as the fulfillment of spiritual law

I was on-call Monday night and the phone call I received went something like this, "Daktari, that patient with ISS (code word for AIDS), I'm calling because she coded." My response, "Keep her alive until I can get there for the C/S." Running up the hill to the hospital I'm praying. This woman has been admitted for the past 2 weeks because of nausea, vomiting, active TB, severe fetal growth restriction, HIV encephalopathy, and wasting. Her pregnancy is only 30 weeks. I find her with agonal breathing explain quickly to her mother I am going to deliver the baby to save the baby but it will likely lead to her death. She's intubated without any muscle relaxation and minimal sedation. The baby boy weighs only 1200 grams but is alive. We all agree she has to be extubated because the situation is hopeless. The tube comes out, she breathes shallowly. Off to the ICU to spend the night. I hang a big sign over the bed DNR: Do Not Resuscitate. I check on her several times that night, her vital signs seem to improve, but she is unresponsive. The next day, she needs less oxygen. We consider putting a tube into her stomach to give her medication, but by the afternoon she is conversing. Not only conversing, but making sense. I had never met her coherent; she was always confused and accusing me of being Massai and afraid I would go tell people she was HIV positive. The following day she is walking, eating, taking medication, and thanking us. Her mother, who is by her side ever minute providing care, takes my hand and says many things I don't understand with tears in her eyes, but I hear one word clearly ,"Mungu" and I agree, the credit goes to God.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sarah,
AMazing from a human standpoint but God's hand can do anything. He has a purpose for this lady. I hope she can get to know Jesus through all of you.

Thank you for being his hands at this time,
Kathy
Bend, OR

Anonymous said...

Sara- that is a miracle! I hope you are getting enough time away to rest.

Unknown said...

Sara,

That's incredible! I hope the baby & his mom continue to do well!

Jen