OB Emergency (Lali’s life saved again)
Lali's delivery 9 years ago
I expected the worst, but was still amazed by what I saw. Lali's husband, Buba and another friend trudged down the trail covered in sweat and mud with Lali in a hammock on a pole. Lali was white as a sheet and in and out of consciousness. Another girl, Bapa, with muddy and tattered clothes, carried the baby who was still covered in blood, mucous and poop since his birth 9 hours earlier. I asked Carrie, the AFM nurse (in Kemantian) how the baby was doing and she said, "His heart rate is low." As they awkwardly tried to figure out how to place Lali across the back seat of our truck, blood oozing everywhere, I said, "Never mind the blood. Hurry, let's go!" And we all jumped in and raced for the hospital, praying the whole way.
When I got the call earlier that morning from Carrie, I knew very well the patient, the place, and the situation. I had taken care of this same girl with the same problem 9 years ago with her second baby at the age of 14. (This is now baby number 4. Baby one and two did not live past 1 year). This time the baby was born at 10 p.m., the placenta did not deliver, and they called Carrie at 2:30 a.m. to hike up to their village and help. Last time, God helped me to deliver the placenta in their home and Lali miraculously stabilized so we did not have to take her out. But I know this is not always the case and we trust Him no matter how He answers.
In the hospital, the nurses looked at our group with obvious disgust, though they are used to us bringing patients in this way. Several of us missionaries worked quickly to get medicines, lab tests, and blood donors. It seemed painfully slow but they finally got Lali started with the first blood transfusion and into the O.R. When they wheeled Lali out of the O.R. and back into the ward, she looked great! I explained to the family that the doctor was able to remove the placenta without surgery and that she and the baby were going to be fine! Buba (the husband) listened intently and began to cry . . . tears of joy. He thanked us for our help and we prayed a thanksgiving prayer to God for saving Lali's life once again.
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