Congo Week Two

Saturday March 1

This day the agricultural team and Murray headed out to the bush to visit some of the farms and connect with the leaders of the agricultural co-op programs.  As 6-8 hours in a very full Landover did not appeal to Jenn and I we arranged to visit one more clinic in Kikwit.  This clinic was not one that was connect with the International Mennonite Health Association but Murray had contacts here as one of the young doctors he had supported through medical school.  Murray had arranged for us to have a translator for us for the morning and a taxi picked us up at 8 and took us to the clinic. 

We traveled through town and then about 20mins up a hillside.  The road was more like a dry stream bed, rough because it was dry completely impassable if it was wet.   The Kazumbi Clinic was the largest of all the clinics we visited.  Its location in a agriculture based town allowed it more space.  It was a collection of separate buildings in a large field with the church, and a school. Unfortunately there is a lack of strong leadership at this clinic limiting the programs and advancement of the healthcare here.    There was no electricity or running water at all.  They had a large impatient areas here with good ventilation and natural light.  We toured all the wards, met with the director to understand their vision for the clinic and some of their needs, saw the lab and the pharmacy and then did some consults with the doctor. 
The peds ward.   This little girl had complex malaria and was receiving a blood transfusion

 The clinic was a collection of similar buildings forming a U shape

 Young nursing students

 Children from the surrounding homes

What happened as we were doing consults with the doctor was one of the most stressful/helpless/prayfilled times of my life!!!

One of the nurses came in and talked with the doctor.  through our translator we understood that a women had come in, was not actively in labor but the baby was breech. No one seemed concerned and in any hurry so I assumed that someone in their prenatal checkup had been examined and that the baby was in breech position. 
As a side note... as an ER nurse I know a little about a lot.....except labour and delivery... those pts go straight upstairs.  I had had my maternity nurse friend run through a regular delivery for me so I would know what to expect but nothing in this world would have prepared me to walking in to the mat room at the clinic and seeing a lady with a foot delivered and that's all. 
Jenn and I immediately started talking quietly to each other.. the conversation went something like
"is that a foot"
"think so"
"that's not good,... right??"
"now what?"
"C-section right??"
The doctor examined the mother.. listening for the baby's heart beat.  He looked up from that and to our shock announced that it was TWINS!!!

Then he handed the stethoscope back to the nurse and told us that we were going to head back to the office for refreshments.  Jenn and I were in shock.  We KNEW this lady needed help and help fast if the babies were going to survive.  We asked him what his plan for care was.  He said that they needed to wait for the family.  Why?? we asked.  They said they had  to see if they could afford to pay for a c-section and the post op care.  We were astounded!!  He named the price.  A price that neither of us would have blinked at for a new jacket or two months of our cell phone bill.  We quickly stated that we would cover the cost and to not delay based on that.  He said we still had to wait for the family so that the women could talk to her husband.  We allowed our selves to be guided back to the office where we continued to sit in a bit of shock.  Jenn tried to phone Murray but he had no service... we were on our own!!.  After about 5-10 mins of sitting there we again asked what the delay was... no one seemed to be in any hurry which was killing us!!! The reply came that they were waiting to see if any of the family were the same blood type as they could not go to the OR without a Blood donor.  Without thinking I said that my blood type was O and I was willing to be a donor.  That seemed to surprise them.. it certainly surprised me and the feelings of fright, guilt, and continued hopelessness continued.  We were praying so hard as that was the ONLY thing at this point we could do. It was a weird and not nice feeling not knowing or being able to do anything. I deal with life threatening/stressful situations on a daily basis at work but there I have knowledge, supplies and tasks to do here I was strictly an observer.    Eventually after about 1hour 15-30 mins after we had first seen the lady we headed to the OR.  Jenn and I huddled in one hot corner of the room as they prepped her for the surgery.  C-sections in rural Congo SOOO  much different then Canada.   I won't shock you with the details.  

We sweated, prayed and held our breath as the final cuts were made and the first baby was pulled from the womb.  That 2 seconds of waiting for the baby to cry have never been so long and then the laughter, tears and rejoicing have never been so sweet as when both the baby boy and girl were born alive. 

 They named the babies after us  Girl- Melanie                                   Boy- Jean,

 The first 15 minutes were are overwhelming blur as we dashed back and forth between the babies and making sure the mom was doing well in the surgery. 

 
They were so gorgeous.  (the white powder on their and our foreheads is a sign of celebration)

 Their very thankful very overwhelming family!!!

 

Once the mamma was all stitched up we left the clinic with promises that we would be back in the morning.  It was only 3 in the afternoon but the day had been full and we were exhausted.  That evening we sat on our porch and just reflected on the day.  The emotions raw and close to the surface the story was hard to convey to our companions when then returned from their day.  The processing of the experience took some time.

Sunday morning we got up at 630 to head back to the clinic before church.  We visited with the mom and the twins for a short time and then headed back to the mission.

 At the mission we packed up our van that we were going to drive back to Kinshasa in and then headed off to church.
Church was joyous and filled with much singing. Both African and African renditions of familiar hymns. 

Here we said good bye to the Agricultural team which was staying in Kikwit for a few more days.  Also said by to our translator and our Kitkwit Contact-  Delbert and Guy

 After church we piled into the van headed down the only paved highway in the Congo. It was a 10 hour drive back to the capital.    Passing was a bit sketchy. The other vehicles on the road were the big Overland trucks loaded to the max. It was very sparsley traveled but when we did come across them it was while going up hill and ususally around a corner ( if you look closely you can see the people hanging on the back as well as all the gas jugs)

There were lots of checkpoints along the way and any time the van stopped there were lots of people selling things.  Others in our van loaded up as produce is much cheaper in the rural areas then in the city.  

 Most of the Congo is very tropical but this highway traverses a plateau which is more classic Africa looking.

 Sunday afternoon soccer match.    A van loaded with a goat on the roof

 

 Almost back in Kinshasa and we had flat tire