Dear Readers:
If you are a long term visitor to my blog, you will note that there are certain children that I tend to “spotlight” more than others. Happy Edward Msaki is one such child. She and I have bonded in ways that I did not expect and she is just a delight to my life. Last week, she was stricken with vomiting and diarrhea. After receiving a positive test for malaria, she was treated and expected to make a full recovery. However, our staff supervisor came into the office early yesterday morning asking for urgent intervention as our little Happy girl was vomiting again and dangerously dehydrated. I was supposed to go to Arushatown with Davona, but I accompanied our nurse to the hospital instead. It took over 45 minutes to get an IV started on Happy. Her veins are just too small and the dehydration made it almost impossible to find access. It literally took three different nurses (including our own) to get a successful vein. Happy screamed the entire time and another woman had to end up holding her as I nearly passed out! All the nurses kept asking “what’s wrong with the Mzungu?” And my nurse from Cradle would say “blood” and they would all nod their heads and giggle! They ended up moving me to one of the beds in the pediatric ward because I was “very white” (as opposed to my normal shade of pale!). I have seen many procedures on children, but the stress of having this tiny 11 pound wonder losing her mind as the nurses twist, and poked, and squeezed, and dug for a vein… I think it was emotionally too much. I knew it was in Happy’s best interest to gain access, but I didn’t handle her crying very well. Great parenting Shae!!! Anyway, here are a few pictures from our time in the hospital. I stayed with her through the day and our Cradle nurse stayed with her at night. Get well Happy girl.
This is the pediatric ward. 8 beds in one large room.
Happy on her bed. No cribs. No pretty colors on the wall. Not your typical Peds ward! Just a mosquito net and a pole to hang her IV drip. Primitive but clean so I really can’t complain. Also, the sisters at the hospital couldn’t have been nicer.
Poor little Happy was really too weak to drink but she did anyway and I was thrilled.
At any American hospital, you enjoy the comforts of air conditioning, a gift shop, a phone, the cafeteria, televisions and trash cans!!! But here in Tanzania, you bring your own everything. Food, water, toilet paper, entertainment, blankets, sheets, bags for trash, wipes, etc. Florida Hospital is looking like the freakin’ Ritz-Carlton to me, right now !!!! Of course, it only costs $5 to stay here overnight. I’m pretty sure Florida Hospital is a LITTLE more expensive than that!
After a full drip, and a few hours of sleep, Happy was becoming more enthusiastic to drink some milk. She just took the bottle from me and attempted to hold it herself. All my pictures of her are so deceiving because she looks a little pudgy in her face. But look closely… this is a small, 4 ounce bottle, and look how big it is compared to her head. This child is 10 months old and wearing a 0-3 month outfit. All parents would understand this… she is still in stage/size 1 diapers. She’s tiny!
Thank you to all my readers out there! I am always amazed when I meet people of whom I have never met, but they know me from this blog. Its a blessing to be able to share this experience with all of you. Please, please, please, feel free to leave a comment as it helps me to feel connected and get to know those who are reading.
~Shae
Oh Shae. You have just felt the pain of being a parent. Little Happy is extremely blessed to have you in her life as are you for having her in yours!! Treasure this time with her. We are praying for Happy, You and all the other babies, volunteers, nannies, Doctor's and nurses. God Bless You!!
ReplyDeleteAwww, poor Happy. Hope she gets better soon and comes back. I know you'll be happier (no pun intended) with her well and home.
ReplyDeletePS - Now I'm envisioning you getting white(r) and nearly fainting, haha.
Any parent whose heart would not break watching their child go through something like this would not be much of a parent, Shae. Your love for these children is so evident. When nursing staff is struggling to accomplish something like that, it's generally the best thing when the parent leaves the room. Your job is to console the precious baby after the nurses have accomplished their task. You're amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou did great, at least you didn't faint right?! :) Many parents go through this, its tough to see them hurting, and the Mommy guilt over letting them get like that can be overwhelming. My oldest was 10 oz. less then her birth weight at 6 weeks old and pretty dehydrated. I had not noticed, a day without a wet diaper was what got me wondering if something was wrong. Poor thing was starving to death. Thankfully she did not need hospitalization, but she could've had we not gotten her in to the doctor when we did. She's of course fine now, but it messes with you to think that you missed something like that.
ReplyDeleteHope that Happy gains her strength quickly and can come back to Cradle of Love soon!
It just breaks my heart to watch the trials this precious baby has had to endure. Thank God you are there with her when she needs comfort and love. We're proud of your dedication to this mission. We continue to pray for miracles for the babies and you.
ReplyDeleteNo worries about having a hard time watching Happy hurt. You love her and it's hard to watch anyone you love suffer. Sometimes it really is just better to leave to let the staff do their job. You were there to comfort her later, that's all that matters. And the Mzungu got to lighten (no pun intended...but it's a good one) the staff's day. You're doing a great job! Keep your chin up.
ReplyDeleteOh no! I hope Happy will be ok. I need to start sending her some McDonald's cheese burgers. That will fatten her up in no time.
ReplyDeleteI think you need to extend your trip until Happy is at least 3 or 4, that way she will have someone with her until she is a little more stable.
oh my sweet sweet happy! what a fighter! keep me posted, give her a kiss and tell her i love her!
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with "whatsthatsmell"!! and thennnnnn, you could bring Happy home to us!!!
ReplyDeleteSusan
Hi Shae,
ReplyDeleteI have been enjoying your blog. I found you as I read the COL blog. You definitely have a mothers love for this little girl. When my son was hospitalised after being bitten on the finger from an animal at our local zoo (long story!!!) I was the one who ended up laying on the bed after nearly fainting! I just don't think you can bear to see your children go through anything like that. Im glad little Happy is in such good hands. Keep up the blog....I'm loving it! XX Sandie - Australia
Love that sweet happy! She is such a fighter, and it brings a smile seeing her holding up her own bottle! how far she has come!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry Happy is not well. I had a similar time at Selian when Clara Shei was a baby. She was super sick her first six months home from Cradle. At one point they needed to get blood but couldn't find the vein. After 45 minutes of trying everywhere anderson my poor baby in pain and screaming, the told me they were shaving her head and finding a vein up there. This was my panic moment when it first really set in that i was her mommy and responsible for her. It was my job to either let them go forward or pull her off that table and start driving for Nairobi! Instead i cried hysterically till they found Dr. Matthews for me and he put an end to the craziness and found the vein in her heal. Just wasn't sure i should people who did not appear particularly competent poke around on my baby's soft skull with a needle. Ugh. So glad all that insanity is over. Miss east africa terribly, but not the health care.
ReplyDeleteI relate to your post!!!! They were going to shave her head and look for a vein there also. I heard that Dr. Matthews is great. Considered going to see him as Happy hasn't gained weight... at all. I just put a 3mnth outfit on her today and had to, instead, put a newborn outfit on her instead. Little worried. No, lot worried. But hope that I will make good decisions and work it out for her!
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