Baby D

I really enjoyed this young couple during prenatal visits. The mother always had a sweet smile on her face, and the father was always a little nervous like most Dads-to-be. It would be their second baby. As we approached her due date, I examined her and found that her baby was in the transverse position. (It is impossible for a baby to be born in this position). We attempted to move the baby into the head-down position, but with only limited success, and she ended up with a c-section. The surgery went well, and Mother and Baby D both went home without any difficulties. I saw Baby D in follow-up a couple of times, and she was growing and developing perfectly.

Just a few days ago, the father came to me frantically and said that Baby D was in the public hospital and that she had almost died. He said that he would like to bring her to our hospital for us to evaluate. For about a day, she seemed okay. She apparently had had a fever, so we performed a couple of tests to try to rule out big infections. Nevertheless, she was eating like a champ and looked like a pretty normal one-month-old. Then I received a frantic call from the nurses. “Come in now, because the patient in room 10 is bad”. Without further questions, I raced in. Baby D did not look good today. Her tongue and her eyes were moving in a way that made me believe that she was seizing. She was no longer awake, no longer eating. A lumbar puncture showed blood in her spinal fluid—she appeared to be bleeding around her brain. We managed to send her out for a CT scan, and this diagnosis was confirmed. Three medicines were needed to stop her seizing, and by that time we were breathing for her with the mechanical ventilator. Mission Aviation Fellowship flew her to the main pediatric hospital in Quito, where a pediatric ICU and a neurosurgeon will be available.

We haven’t heard yet how Baby D is doing. I think we will know within the next couple of days. In the meantime, we all (including our kids at the supper table) have been praying hard for this little baby and her neat family. We don’t know why she was bleeding around her brain, and it’s likely that we never will. I feel helpless as the doctor in these cases, but I was honored to be able to provide the spiritual and emotional support that this family readily accepted. Though I tend to try to fix everything on my own, I am doing my best to live my life knowing that we have a good God who is in control of everything.

Washington, Here We Come

Dan and I have spent a lot of time praying about our future move and considering the many details that a move would bring for our family. Dan spent a lot of time traveling around the Northwest for his interviews in Washington and Idaho and although we talked almost everyday while he was gone, we had decided to wait until his return to really discuss our decision.  We felt that we would both have singleness of heart with the job and location that would be the best at this point of our lives.  There was one job in particular that I had been on my heart often during prayer, and upon his return he shared about each place he was considering.  There were many great options in Caldwell and in Washington.  When he felt his first choice was the one I'd considered for so long it really became a clear decision.  We're so thankful that something that could have been stressful wasn't at all, and we're confident that we're headed in the right direction.  All that to say, we will be flying back to that United States on November 14th where we will move to Washington so Dan can begin working at the family medicine residency program in Vancouver.  During the time in Ecuador, Dan has really enjoyed being a teacher.  He is excited to begin work in Vancouver where he'll be able to continue to teach and mentor resident doctors, to work with a great staff, to maintain his skills in obstetrics and hospital medicine, and to be able to serve many patients who come from difficult socioeconomic backgrounds.

We plan to settle down in Ridgefield where I grew up.  We're going to miss our family and friends in Idaho, but should have the opportunity to visit much more often.  We are still looking forward to doing foreign mission work in the future, but are excited to be back on the "home field" for awhile.

We'll continue to blog about our work in Ecuador as I know Dan has some new medical stories he'd like to share.  Our next big step will be looking for a place to live in Ridgefield; God keeps us depending on Him, no matter where we are.

Jael loves playing with Tori whose father is the ophthalmologist at the hospital.

Caleb celebrated his 5th birthday with some new legos.

Anna loves to help Mommy cook (and lick the spoon).