After being here for two months, I decided to take a call. Brian and I were here without other doctors for three days, and instead of him working non-stop, I covered. The knock on my window came at 1am. Blanca, the midwife who covers all low risk deliveries came to discuss a patient. Doctor Juan, who’s house is connected to ours, heard the knock and came to see what the commotion was about. The three of us sat on benches outside our front door as Blanca recounted that the 25 year old woman, pregnant with her first baby and a week overdue, arrived with contractions and bleeding. There were blood clots on her exam, and the baby’s heart was beating faster than normal. We all agreed that a cesarean would be the safest thing, since the patient was not yet dilated.
At 11pm, the town power goes out, so in the pitch black, the night watchman Lenorio went to inform the nurse Lily that she was needed. We communicated by phone to the nurse Yoly who would assist in the surgery and her husband Frank who works in the lab and would check the patients platelet count before I did her spinal.
Lenorio returned with Lily, and then went to turn on the hospital’s diesel powered motor for the surgery. It takes usually an hour to prepare the patient and operating room and to mobilize everyone, which in this case was fine because the baby’s heart rate had normalized.
Dr. Juan and I delivered a beautiful baby boy, waited a minute before clamping the cord, and the baby was nursing within a few minutes… after his vitamin K injection and eye antibiotics. By 3am, she was back in her hospital bed with the baby lying at her side.
Helping bring new lives into the world is just miraculous! With Charlie in our life now, I relate to patients and parents with a bit of a different perspective, having experienced the joy of watching a baby grow and develop. There are so many little significant moments!
Just today actually, Charlie was jumping up and down like he’s been doing recently in his Pack’n’Play. I watched him for 15 minutes and he tried to move from one side to the other, barely able to reach the higher curved rail. After almost falling a few times, leaning forward and catching himself with his belly on the netting, it dawned on him to take a step toward the other side. Patiently, with the wheels turning in his head, he made it all the way around the Pack’n’Play.
On this Mother’s Day, I am filled with love and connectedness and humility. My love and prayers go out to my own wonderful mother and father and family, who carried me and cared for me and continue to care for me with the same love and concern I have for Charlie. I also keep in mind mothers here in our own community of Santa Clotilde. Although they live in poverty, fighting to feed their children, some living in fear of drunken husbands, they are blessed with the strength and love and perseverance to care for their children the best they can with the few resources they have. I remember my grandmothers, who paved the way for me and my parents. They lived through joys and struggles and though them, in some miraculous way, are the reason I am here in the Amazon today. I thank Zulma, Charlie’s nanny who cares for Charlie like he is her own, who provides him constant play and stimulation and offers us cultural and baby advice that has been invaluable.
I celebrate this day with my wonderful husband, who never tires caring for Charlie and I, who’s heart is so big that it gracefully fulfills not only his family role, but the role of Padres Jack and Moe who were mentors and inspirations to so many here in Santa Clotilde!
Wish list: Help with a grant to build and maintain a woman’s shelter to help temper the abuses that are so common in our community
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