Sunday, January 24, 2010

Fractures, amputations, and a baby too!


Last night was another one of those memories that will not fade any time soon. I was at Troy and Tara's house for the night getting ready to go to bed when Troy got a phone call from Beth saying that were was a girl in labor needing a place to deliver. She had fell of her belly during the earthquake and had been bleeding since she started labor. We decided that we would take care of her. With our team of doctors we have an OB/GYN with us right now. He is great. He has done some work in Kenya and other parts of the world and is used to doing obstetrics in more dire situations. When we got to the clinic and initially assess her we discovered that the baby was not doing okay. He was in severe distress. She still had hours of laboring to do before she was ready to deliver. Chris (our OB doc) decided he would do a c-section. We brought her downstairs to our trauma area and called the Steve the anesthesiologist, Jenn our pediatric doc, and Tara to come help. I was trying to figure out how to start the generator while Chris was pulling supplies off the table and creating a sterile field on the desk. I finally got the generator started and got the flood lights working. Chris and I quickly got our sterile gowns on, Steve gave anesthesia through the IV and we were ready to go and got the baby out within 90 seconds of the first incision. When the baby came out he was blueish-white and unresponsive. I clamped and cut the cord and handed him off to Jen who started working on him and resuscitating him. When we opened the uterus to deliver him the placenta had already abrupted. I assisted Chris in closing back up the uterus and abdomen. The little boy came around after a few minutes and pinked up. As of now both mother and baby are okay. That was the first c-section I have ever seen in person or assisted with. I am honored to have been a part of it. If she wasn't able to get a c-section the baby for sure would of died, and the mom would of been at high risk of bleeding to death. I praise God that didn't happen. In the middle of all this devastation it is refreshing to bring new life into the world

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh Jonna...
Awesome! Praise the LORD for His perfect timing for this mother and baby! Perfect timing for YOU and Heartline Ministries to be right where He wants you... WOW! WOW! WOW! What an experience! Thanks for sharing. Love You. Hugs...

Bethany said...

We are praying, friend. God is clearly with you.

jenna and brianna konkle said...

man oh man, Jonna - what an experience!! I'm sure, as much of a blessing you are to the people of Haiti, so God is blessing you in strange and miraculous ways!! HIS Strength be with you as you serve.. (i'm oh so jealous!!)

with much LOVe, and hugs =)

Piedmont College Nursing Students said...

Tara Livesay posted a link from their blog to yours. I've been keeping up with them since the quake. I can't tell you how excited I am to find you. I should find out next month if I am accepted into nursing school. I want to be a midwife in Haiti or India (whichever God chooses in 3 or so years :) ). This is an amazing story as are all of the stories I am reading from your clinic. I'm wishing I was already a nurse so I could be there with you all! I am praying for your group of nurses and doctors and all of you!
Lindsay

Eternal Lizdom said...

I found your blog through the Livesay's blog. I'm keeping a blog list on my own blog of bloggers in Haiti as they share their stories. I'd like to pray for you each day- and to make sure you know that there are people here in the States who are praying for all of you and the work you are doing.

I pray for comfort, healing, peace... and moments of joy- like the birth of a baby!

JennJo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JennJo said...

I just keep thinking about the sense that you were having when you were in Colorado that that is not where you were supposed to stay doing midwifery and of the words ..."such a time as this." He's got a grand scheme. ;-) Love & prayers. -JennJo.

Eternal Lizdom said...

I am just popping in to let you know that I am continuing to pray for you and the work you are doing.