Mercy

Thanks so much for all the texts, messages, emails, and prayers in the last week.  I am so grateful.  Emotionally the roller-coaster continues.  But at the same time, I do have a greater sense of clarity and insight into my purpose.  And I sense strongly that this time of wrestling and struggle is very important.  Not fun, but significant.

The outcome of the wrestling and struggling is that my role here is to be a storyteller and a bridge between Kenyans and missionaries, between hospital needs and the world.  I’ll be totally honest, both calls are terrifying.  Stories mean involvement with patients – expectations and hopefulness on their end and helplessness on my part.  What can I actually do to change their situation?  And then the vast needs of the hospital?

Several years ago, going through a similar time of struggle, a great photographer (Dane Sanders if you are in the photography world) spoke a bit of truth to me.  He said “your voice matters.”  I have always loved stories and praised the amazing things that other creatives would manage to say.  But his call was for me to speak, for me to be the person that I admire.  So easily I lose sight of this call.  And I think this shaking is a reminder to remember. . .and to speak.

So here goes:

Arianna admitted Mercy several months ago, realizing she was in imminent danger and organized an emergent excision of her tumor at 11 o’clock at night.  In two stages, she had surgery to remove a tumor from the base of her brain.  Though the surgery was successful, recovery was very difficult. Mercy was in a coma in the ICU for a week, and two nights in a row her heart stopped beating three separate times. Dr. Caren, the ICU pediatrician on call, resuscitated Mercy, but on the third attempt – after performing CPR for 45 minutes with no response – was prepared to announce that Mercy had died. As she spoke the words, a nurse declared, “she has a pulse!” Mercy had returned to life.

After she was weaned from the ventilator, Mercy was still mostly unresponsive for several more weeks, and doctors feared she would never regain normal function. But then she began to sit, to talk, to write, and even to walk with assistance.

I have wanted to get Madeline involved with the hospital since we came, but we want it to be a good experience for her.  Every once in a while we would visit the wards, cautiously.  But Mercy with her bright spirit seemed to be the perfect patient to connect with Madeline.  She speaks English very well, and though the effect of the surgery (like a stroke) have slurred her speech, we are able to communicate.

We have visited several times, and it is a joy to see Mercy’s face light up when we enter the room.  “Maaaadeliiiiine!”  She loves to have Madeline hold her hand, to walk with her, and especially to braid Madeline’s hair.  The dexterity she has is astonishing for a little girl who was unable to move several weeks ago.  And the joy in her laugh as she walks or dances is wonderful.

One of the most special moments for me was to watch Dr. Caren, with mouth open and eyes wide, see Mercy teeter around the playground with Madeline.  Because she is a neurosurgery patient, Mercy is on a separate ward from where Arianna and the other pediatricians usually round.  So Caren hadn’t seen her since the ICU. . .and was completely floored to see her progress.

Mercy’s mama was a Sunday School teacher, and when we visit, she will ask Madeline to read bible stories.  Particularly the ones about Jesus raising the dead.  Jairus’s daughter.  Lazarus.  Mercy is no less a miracle.

Two harsh realities cloud Mercy’s story.  First, her bill is astronomical by Kenyan standards – nearly $8000 USD.  After fundraising, her community was able to raise $500, but that barely makes a dent in the need.  Second, her medulla-blastoma will return at some point.  Arianna says it is a severe mercy for Mercy to be able to enjoy this time of remission and renewed strength. . .that in Kenya,  she may not recommend it as the likelihood of effectiveness would be so slim and the devastation so great.  She is healthy enough to return home once her bill is cleared. . .we pray to see that happen soon.

Here is a video with Mercy, Mama, Madeline, and Caren:

 

If you would like to get involved, click here – http://kijabehospital.org/blog/miracle-of-mercy

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Please remember warrior Arianna as well.  Peds is very short-staffed for the next two months, and this week is completely insane.  Arianna and a visiting pediatrician from Canada (whose first day is today) are covering the 70+ patients with their trainees.  Pray for her to find pockets of rest in the midst of the busyness, to care for her patients well, and that she would be able to get a little bit of sleep on call nights.

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Another prayer request.  Kijabe is always in a state of flux with doctors coming and going.  One year ago, we had one of the leading pediatric neurosurgeons in the world, a fantastic peds neurosurgeon he had trained (Dr. Okechi) and a fellow from Ethiopia.  Now, Dr. Albright had to return to America, Addis is returning to Ethiopia, and Dr. Okechi has a massive task in front of him – he is the only pediatric neurosurgeon in Kenya outside of Nairobi.  We know from Arianna’s experiences at UAB and working with peds team at Kijabe, that the impossible is possible when working with amazing colleagues.  Please pray for Dr. Okechi’s endurance and that a way would emerge for another peds surgery fellow to join him – that he could have a team.

Thank you as always for carrying us and caring for us!  We love and miss you all!