tiny juana
there are few times where i get the opportunity to write about something before it has already ended. this is one of those times.
today in clinic one of our nutrition kids came back to see if she qualified for the program. (the "program" is our nutrition program where we supply undernourished children with formula or milk, a protein mixture and vitamins to be used in conjunction with breast-feeding.) her mother, rosa, had brought her in a few weeks ago stating that her breast milk was insuffucient for her baby. so leslie sat down with her for about 15 minutes and talked with her about how and when to breast feed and answered any questions she had. she then told her to come back if her baby was not growing and we would re-assess the situation at that time. at that visit, juana was one month old and weighed 8 lbs.
today rosa brought juana back to be weighed and looked at. the young children are usually wrapped in a million layers of clothing and blankets, so i placed juana on the scale and started to peel off the many layers. as i was discovering the actual weight to be a mere 7 lbs, she also started coughing, and i was becoming more and more aware of just how tiny this baby was. when we finally took off the last layer of clothing to listen to her lungs, i was shocked at the state of this little girl in front of me. i have never seen a person as wasted looking as this baby; she barely had skin covering her bones. although her lungs sounded clear, she was breathing about 80 times a minute, her heart rate was about 160, and her mouth was completely covered in thrush (leslie said it is the worst case she has ever seen). bottom-line, she is dying.
to make a long story shorter, we talked with the family and told them the gravity of the situation and their options. one of the options was to come back to canilla to our clinic here where we could place an ng-tube and feed the baby through that in conjunction with breast-feeding so that she will hopefully receive the calories she needs to be strong enough to come out of this okay. they live somewhat close to canilla and chose to come back to the clinic with us.
so tonight, rosa, a nineteen year old mother, and her one and a half month baby sleep in our clinic where leslie and i will go in every two hours to check the oxygen and ng tube placement, give her nebulizer treatments, and feed her through the tube in her nose.
i do not know what will happen to juana. in fact, i really do not know much right now as i perform nursing measures brand-new to me on a baby who may not make it being held by a mother who only speaks quiche. but, i do know that there is One who created this little baby and her mother, and who is in control of this situation and using it to call this tiny baby, her mother, and her family closer to Him.
please pray that no matter what the outcome of the situation, we will know God's guidance and protection, and that His love will be known by this little girl and her mother.
today in clinic one of our nutrition kids came back to see if she qualified for the program. (the "program" is our nutrition program where we supply undernourished children with formula or milk, a protein mixture and vitamins to be used in conjunction with breast-feeding.) her mother, rosa, had brought her in a few weeks ago stating that her breast milk was insuffucient for her baby. so leslie sat down with her for about 15 minutes and talked with her about how and when to breast feed and answered any questions she had. she then told her to come back if her baby was not growing and we would re-assess the situation at that time. at that visit, juana was one month old and weighed 8 lbs.
today rosa brought juana back to be weighed and looked at. the young children are usually wrapped in a million layers of clothing and blankets, so i placed juana on the scale and started to peel off the many layers. as i was discovering the actual weight to be a mere 7 lbs, she also started coughing, and i was becoming more and more aware of just how tiny this baby was. when we finally took off the last layer of clothing to listen to her lungs, i was shocked at the state of this little girl in front of me. i have never seen a person as wasted looking as this baby; she barely had skin covering her bones. although her lungs sounded clear, she was breathing about 80 times a minute, her heart rate was about 160, and her mouth was completely covered in thrush (leslie said it is the worst case she has ever seen). bottom-line, she is dying.
to make a long story shorter, we talked with the family and told them the gravity of the situation and their options. one of the options was to come back to canilla to our clinic here where we could place an ng-tube and feed the baby through that in conjunction with breast-feeding so that she will hopefully receive the calories she needs to be strong enough to come out of this okay. they live somewhat close to canilla and chose to come back to the clinic with us.
so tonight, rosa, a nineteen year old mother, and her one and a half month baby sleep in our clinic where leslie and i will go in every two hours to check the oxygen and ng tube placement, give her nebulizer treatments, and feed her through the tube in her nose.
i do not know what will happen to juana. in fact, i really do not know much right now as i perform nursing measures brand-new to me on a baby who may not make it being held by a mother who only speaks quiche. but, i do know that there is One who created this little baby and her mother, and who is in control of this situation and using it to call this tiny baby, her mother, and her family closer to Him.
please pray that no matter what the outcome of the situation, we will know God's guidance and protection, and that His love will be known by this little girl and her mother.
posted by katie at 8:52 PM
2 Comments:
i'm praying for juana and her mother, as well as for you and for leslie as you provide care for her the best you can with the resources you have. i'm praying that no matter the outcome, that juana's mother would be touched by God through you. i love you cousin!
I honestly don't have time to read your blog right now but becky and I miss and love you very much. we think of you often (totally as friends though).
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