It's been very difficult for me the past almost 24 hours. I found a young girl named Manga who is 3 years old at the hospital yesterday doing very poorly. Unfortunately, there were no doctors here, even though one is meant to be on call at all times. Even the missionary doctor from New Zealand who is here waiting for his credentials before starting practice was out fishing. It is a very difficult case and Manga is very sick. I worked with Ida, the NP from Scotland who is the Hospital Administrator (but hasn't practiced much medicine in a while), along with a fellow PA (here called "Clinical Officers) who is fresh out of school and several nurses. We did our very best, working together to try and figure out what was even going on. Her breathing has been the most obvious problem, and she has to be on oxygen continuously. She has also basically been in a coma since yesterday.
We worked for about 5 hours trying many different things with everyone contributing as they could. At first it seemed to be croup, but did not improve with an injection of steriods. It turns out that the child most likely has Reye's Syndrome, a rare but very serious condition caused by the combination of a viral illness and aspirin. The New Zealand Doc, Trevor, came back yesterday about 5 pm and took over care. He was also so puzzled by her condition. He went back to check on her several times through the night, and as he was walking home one of those times, God reminded him about the Reye's Syndrome. It causes increased pressure in the brain as well as an enlarged liver, both of which she has. She is getting worse and worse.
The only thing we can do now is give steroid injections (it turns out that I did the right thing by accident by giving her the steroid) and pray. She will most likely die. I am finding this very hard to deal with. I am a little better knowing what is wrong, but my heart is so heavy with the suffering she is enduring. It will be a very difficult ending for her, as over here we don't really have the option of sedation to make things easier for her. I felt so inadequate yesterday, and all I know is that feeling pointed me to beg God for his presence, which I believe He granted. There was nothing of me that managed through yesterday afternoon, I was at a total loss. It is only by God's grace that we as a team kept her as well as we did.
Part of me thinks I should have a feeling of accomplishment, since I didn't know what to do and yet made it through the situation. Instead I just feel very sad. I am sure that if anything was accomplished, it is God who did it. I have just now, as I rest and pray, felt very strongly that God is able to heal her. I am not sure that He will choose to, but I am absolutely certain that He can. I feel peace in that. If He chooses instead to take her to be with him, well then I hope I will be able to rejoice in the knowledge that Manga is running through open fields of wild flowers, laughing and holding on to Jesus's hand.
I'm sorry to share such a difficult story with you. But in every struggle, there is the peace and mercy of God, and I hope that you will be able to see that through the suffering, as I am trying very hard to. God is good all the time, even in a run down mission hospital in Mwandi, Zambia. Even to a little girl named Manga who is very sick. He is with her now, and always will be. Just like He is always with each of us if we want Him to be!