I'm sitting in our living room with Djongjabe, the 5 year-old daughter of Pierre, the cassier. She's enjoying herself with paper and crayons. Last year she lived with me for almost two months. It all began when she would come and sit by me in church. Her family felt sorry for me that I slept alone (in this culture, being alone = by yourself is the worst possible thing that can happen to you.) They suggested "lending" me their daughter for company and help. I loved the idea. And apparently, so did Djongjabe! We would eat together, do the dishes together, shower together and she would sleep next to me. In the morning I would send her out the door to go to preschool, and she would come back late afternoon. We didn't speak the same language but got along just fine. I dare say she understood my Danish pretty well, and I usually figured out what she meant when she spoke her native language, which is Mundange. Besides, tickling never needed translation.
This idyllic evening makes me think of some of the extremes I have experimented here at the hospital. I have been in several situations, where if I had known about them, I probably would not have wanted to come. I have certainly done things I would NEVER have thought I would....
It was during one of my night shifts. A shift that begins at 2PM when everybody leaves and only the guard nurse is left to take care of all hospitalized patients, what comes in the ER and any deliveries.
A woman comes in for her delivery. She's alone. The husband is nowhere to be found, and for some reason she has no sister, mother, aunt cousin or neighbor with her. I recognize her - her little son was treated for tuberculosis some months earlier. I examine her. She still has a little ways to go. I check on the other hospitalized patients in between. Early morning comes and I expect the woman to deliver anytime soon. She's dilated and has a few good contractions. The head is right there.
After morning worship I give report about the night's events and hand over the woman to Rahama who is experienced in delivering babies. I go back to house and hope the goats and children will be quiet and keep away from my windows so I can get some rest.
I'm getting relaxed and ready to doze off, when the watch man calls me from outside the window "Sarah, you have to come up to the hospital. They have an emergency and need you to take care of the delivery". The delivery? That should have been over long ago? It's almost noon?! I worry if there had been any signs of complications I missed out on during the night?
On my way to the hospital I pass a group of people who have found a shady spot to sell their matches, spices and little plastic bags with sugar and salt. "Lapia" I say, knowing how not greeting people almost is taken as an insult. A teenage girl rises to follow me. She asks where I'm going, although everybody knows I mostly just walk the path between the house and the hospital. Often when I have bought something with her, she has kept the change and only by insisting and getting the help of onlooker have I got back the money she owed me. My thoughts are with the woman who has not yet delivered. What can be wrong? I'm no midwife! Just a plain RN.
Arriving at the hospital, I notice all the people gathered outside the OR. Some emergency has happened and someone is being operated. The other nurses are in there.
I arrive at the door to the delivery room. I notice the teenage girl is still behind me as I open the door. I turn and tell her to stay outside. I walk in to find the woman in great pain and to older women from the church are by her side. The husband has not showed up, neither have any relatives or friends. My mind is racing as I examine her again. Why hasn't she delivered yet? The contractions are good, there seem to be space enough for the baby to come out.... I get distracted by the sound of the door slamming. The teenage girl walks in. I widen my eyes in surprise and tell her this is not an entertainment show and she has to leave. I return to the woman. I wish I had someone to ask for help. Are there even sterile instruments around? Did anyone survey her or was she left alone when I went home?
As I turn to see if I have what I need nearby, I see the teenage girl, who has now found a comfortable place to sit down and watch! As I feel the stress of being thrown into a situation outside my competence, being tired and feeling alone, I raise my voice to make it even more clear to this girl that I meant what I said. I mobilized all my patience and explain again why she is not allowed to watch. I even tell her "PLEASE, go outside!" I know I can't concentrate on this delivery while she is sitting there.
She tilts her head, smiles subtly and says: "What if it doesn't PLEASES me to go outside?"
I'm beyond amazed! I need to get this girl out! I know I can't get violent...I look down on my gloved hand, covered with bloody vaginal secretion from examining the woman. I look sternly at the girl and walk towards her with my hand raised. As I get to her, she looks at me like she couldn't care less. I wipe my hand off on her cheek and neck, amazed at my self and she hadn't already left!!! She widens her eyes, turns and leaves. As I turn to the woman my eyes meet the two older women. They smile knowingly and nod. I think "WHAT did I just do???"
We tell the woman to PUSH and get this over with. The two older women have done this so many times before. They scold and slap her (why didn't I think of that...) and she starts to push better. Shortly after, a healthy baby comes out, I tie the cord and dry him off, extremely relieved. Everything goes well, the placenta comes out, the uterus goes hard and small, all bleeding stops.
The two women from church promise to look after the mom, and help her breastfeed. I walk to the OR. The head nurse has come out. I drag him aside and say I have something to confess. Somehow I'm sure they will not have anything to do with a nurse who smears bloody vaginal secretions over people. After telling him about the incident, he laughs hard and says "You did the right thing - she had it coming!" I can't believe my own ears.
After getting some sleep, I laugh too. And think of how much I'm learning about myself in this place, being driven beyond anything I've ever been before. Of course I have never had to things like this before, in Denmark I've never had strangers refuse to leave the delivery room.
Here, one has to be creative...
Sarah
No comments:
Post a Comment