Walking Fetus!!!

The Baby is trying to walk outside!!!!!

Today as I was walking to the hospital after morning Mass, a young man on a motorcycle pulled up beside me. “Doctor, there is an emergency at the hospital. The baby is trying to walk outside.” I jumped on the motorcycle and without trying to even have this 16 year old boy explain to me what the heck he was talking about I went.

When I arrived at the hospital, I knew there was an emergency because tons of people are standing around. So I went inside and as per usual the volunteer community health worker is there ALONE with the mother who has both of her baby’s feet coming out of her vagina. The feet were swollen and blue. Not a good sign.

I ran to grab the ultrasound machine. The baby was still alive with a great heartbeat. Wonderful!!!! I am alone with this young community health worker. But this baby needs to come now!!! So I said, “Joseph, you are going to do surgery with me. Go to the Operating Theater and prepare for a Cesarean Section. Do not speak to anyone on the way and be quick. This baby is still alive.” (the reason why I said do not speak to anyone is that in this culture greeting others is very important and he would take 40 minutes to normally cross the yard to the Theater from the Delivery Room because of stopping and greeting people) He ran off.

I grabbed the gurney and commanded to young strong appearing men, “You come.” They came. They carried the woman to the Operating Theater. We grabbed a visitor who happens to be a nursing assistant in another village and he came as well.  Of course our Operating Theater with no electricity, no running water, no operating table (only an examining bed) only the grace of God to accompany us.

The baby was delivered via Cesarean section successfully but with great difficulty I might add. I remembered the words of one of my chief residents during residency. “You shred a uterus but you get that baby out. “ We did not shred the uterus but almost. Praise the Lord we got the baby out and mom and baby are Thank God doing well in Postpartum.

When I think about the situation, so dangerous but at the moment we do what needs to be done with the people and equipment we have. How can anyone in a Developed country ever complain? I am ashamed of all the times I complained about stupid little things in the hospital in the USA. We are so blessed in the USA. What an amazing country. What amazing people Americans are!!!

I also meditate that if I had not been here in Ezo, Western Equatorial, South Sudan today that baby would surely have died and later Mom would have also. What a privilege!!!!