So, I have now been working in Kapsowar for one week, and I think I've done and seen more than I would have in a few months at home. Apparently, the word has gotten out that I am here and it seems like patients are coming out of the woodwork. I am thankful for this, though. I can't tell you how many people have told me that they are so thankful to have someone here to focus on women's health. I say this not to pat my own back, but to acknowledge the providence of God that He provided the opportunity for me to come here. There are so many needs.
So, here is my tally - 7 or 8 C-sections, a breech vaginal delivery (it was awesome!), about 10 ultrasounds each day, several D&C's, 5 nights of call, and 4 Gyn surgeries - including a D&E for a fetus that had been retained for months and a myomectomy (removal of fibroids, see picture below). Apart from all of this, I have had someone come through the clinic every day this week with a fetal demise. This has been tough. It has also given me a tremendous opportunity to pray with, and I hope minister to, many women and their families. Oh, and did I mention my mom got into a bad car accident that totaled her car? She's okay, praise the Lord. I can see how the sadness will at times threaten to overwhelm. However, we serve a great God who promises to do more than we could ever imagine, including, I believe, lift our spirits in the midst of overwhelming sadness.
One of these bright moments came on Wednesday, when a woman I had seen on Monday came back to clinic. She was pregnant for the 5th time and had no living children. She had given birth to 2 stillborn babies previously. She was very nervous, because she was approaching the point in her pregnancy when her previous babies had died. I had done an ultrasound on Monday and it appeared that her baby was smaller than it should have been. This, however, is a hard call to make here because often women are unsure of their last periods and they do not routinely have ultrasounds. So, I prayed that she would come back (she refused to stay that day) and that the Lord would give me wisdom of how to give her a healthy baby. She came back on Wednesday and the fluid around her baby had significantly decreased (a sign that the baby is not doing well). So, I prayerfully decided we should deliver her. This was a hard decision, though, because if I was wrong, I would be intentionally delivering a premature baby in a setting where there is little support. We delivered a health baby girl via C-section who was definitely small (about 3 1/2 pounds) but who is doing great now. Praise the Lord! I'm sure I'll have many more situations like this and hopefully they will have similar outcomes.
One more classic Kapsowar story. Thursday I heard that there was an emergency up in theatre (the OR). Just as I was getting ready to go up and see what was going on, I decided to check on a laboring patient. The nurse said she had started bleeding. As I listened to the baby's heart rate, I heard significant decelerations - significant enough that we needed to go to theatre for an emergency C-section. No problem, right? Well, it is when you only have one OR and there is currently a man in there with his chest cracked open after someone shot him. But, in classic Kapsowar fashion, that did not stop us. We wheeled my patient into the same room and Thomas, the anesthetist, stepped over to give her a spinal quickly (there's also only one anesthesia machine). I then proceeded to do a stat C-section on the gurney we had wheeled her in on while the general surgeons continued to work on the young man. I told my patient that she sure would have an interesting story to tell her daughter about the day she was born! Mother and baby are doing well. The young man, unfortunately, passed away later that night.
So, there's a recap of my first week in Kapsowar. It has been busy, but rewarding, and I praise God for what He is doing here. I have started trying to pray with my patients on the day of their discharge. I pray that the Lord will bless them through this and that we can see more people come into a meaningful relationship with Him because of it.
So, here is my tally - 7 or 8 C-sections, a breech vaginal delivery (it was awesome!), about 10 ultrasounds each day, several D&C's, 5 nights of call, and 4 Gyn surgeries - including a D&E for a fetus that had been retained for months and a myomectomy (removal of fibroids, see picture below). Apart from all of this, I have had someone come through the clinic every day this week with a fetal demise. This has been tough. It has also given me a tremendous opportunity to pray with, and I hope minister to, many women and their families. Oh, and did I mention my mom got into a bad car accident that totaled her car? She's okay, praise the Lord. I can see how the sadness will at times threaten to overwhelm. However, we serve a great God who promises to do more than we could ever imagine, including, I believe, lift our spirits in the midst of overwhelming sadness.
One of these bright moments came on Wednesday, when a woman I had seen on Monday came back to clinic. She was pregnant for the 5th time and had no living children. She had given birth to 2 stillborn babies previously. She was very nervous, because she was approaching the point in her pregnancy when her previous babies had died. I had done an ultrasound on Monday and it appeared that her baby was smaller than it should have been. This, however, is a hard call to make here because often women are unsure of their last periods and they do not routinely have ultrasounds. So, I prayed that she would come back (she refused to stay that day) and that the Lord would give me wisdom of how to give her a healthy baby. She came back on Wednesday and the fluid around her baby had significantly decreased (a sign that the baby is not doing well). So, I prayerfully decided we should deliver her. This was a hard decision, though, because if I was wrong, I would be intentionally delivering a premature baby in a setting where there is little support. We delivered a health baby girl via C-section who was definitely small (about 3 1/2 pounds) but who is doing great now. Praise the Lord! I'm sure I'll have many more situations like this and hopefully they will have similar outcomes.
One more classic Kapsowar story. Thursday I heard that there was an emergency up in theatre (the OR). Just as I was getting ready to go up and see what was going on, I decided to check on a laboring patient. The nurse said she had started bleeding. As I listened to the baby's heart rate, I heard significant decelerations - significant enough that we needed to go to theatre for an emergency C-section. No problem, right? Well, it is when you only have one OR and there is currently a man in there with his chest cracked open after someone shot him. But, in classic Kapsowar fashion, that did not stop us. We wheeled my patient into the same room and Thomas, the anesthetist, stepped over to give her a spinal quickly (there's also only one anesthesia machine). I then proceeded to do a stat C-section on the gurney we had wheeled her in on while the general surgeons continued to work on the young man. I told my patient that she sure would have an interesting story to tell her daughter about the day she was born! Mother and baby are doing well. The young man, unfortunately, passed away later that night.
So, there's a recap of my first week in Kapsowar. It has been busy, but rewarding, and I praise God for what He is doing here. I have started trying to pray with my patients on the day of their discharge. I pray that the Lord will bless them through this and that we can see more people come into a meaningful relationship with Him because of it.
Fibroids we removed from one patient
3 comments:
Wow! What a week! God certainly has a sense of timing! Looks like He brought you to Kapsowar just in time! Now, about those fibroids! Yuck! But, I suppose it is much better for those nasty things to be OUT of a woman's body rather than inside it!
Keep doing what God has gifted you and prepared you for! Mom and I are very proud of you. And, we are very happy to see you being used in such a special way!
Love, DAD
oh christina, I just am so thankful God has placed you there. things i have read and you are already aware of is the amount of need there is for women's health all around the world! It has to be so sad, but I believe God will use you to be a comforting hand. I love you lots...love the pics with the kids and chocolate chip cookies...em plus glad to know your mom is ok,
Oh, that is a discusting picture! And since I personally have (literally) hundreds of fibroids I'm super-discusted!
My heart breaks for all those mothers who've lost their little ones. I know things aren't the same there, but is there anything given to the mothers who have stillborn babies? Pictures or mementos of any kind?
As the the mother with the tiny newborn--I'm so thankful!! I'm so glad you were given the wisdom to deliver early. I really know now grateful she must be.
Post a Comment