Haiti Part 4

Having been in Haiti for more than 2 weeks I had become accustomed to the craziness…living off of rice alone, and losing 10 pounds…taking a shower in my clothing under the current of a hose to clean myself off, and “wash” my clothes at the same time.  One set of clothes to wear, and one set of clothes to change into.  I changed in my sleeping bag and hung out my wet clothes that would be dry by tomorrow.  I awoke bleary-eyed after trying to sleep under the constant drone of the military generator which was at the same time soothing, as it was a reminder of my time in active duty in Germany…surviving the frigid cold Winters in the forests of Germany, with only the generators and fires to keep us warm.

I awoke and took on the day…there was a mom…who needed me desperately…

I laid this sweet mama down…and dawned my one pair of gloves.  After assessing my situation and my resources I was ready to give this soon-to-be mama my best…

a prayer was sent up…and so it began.

I pried this mamas legs apart to assess the baby that was clearly coming, and that was all it took…she bore down, and her bag of waters broke, and I was sprayed with amniotic fluid from her soon to be arriving baby.  I remember feeling the amniotic fluid covering my scrubs, covering my scrub top, and hitting my arm…it ran down my arm and underneath my glove…that feeling is still vivid to this day, but at the same time, my mind was so focused on what was before me.  The training that I had, and the babies I had delivered, was gracefully clear to me.  The babies head was already presenting.  I assessed for the umbilical cord, and of course it was passed around the babies neck, so I ever so gently removed it.  Without any type of suction, I wiped the babies nose and mouth clear of amniotic fluid, and in English encouraged the mama to push.  It didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same language, it was clear what needed to be done.

The mama pushed…she pushed, and pushed, and out came that beautiful little girl.  I looked in complete amazement as this precious life, a midst all of this death and destruction…a midst the anguish and peril of what I had been seeing and witnessing, of the patients we were losing on an hourly basis…here came life…in all it’s glory…yelling her tale to the whole world – I WILL SURVIVE!!!!  I cried…how could you not?!  I was incredulous to the amazing miracle I was seeing before me…in the midst of all this death and destruction, life will persevere….

To be continued…