Carnival was celebrated here this last Monday and Tuesday. For many it was a time to relax and have fun. For those working in the hospital, though, it was a the beginning of a long week. I was actually on call over the weekend when the festivities actually began. On Saturday I admitted a lady who was 33 weeks pregnant and in labor. Apparently, she was told by the hospital in the next town over that we had a neonatologist and a neonatal ICU. The other hospital didn't want her to deliver there so she showed up here in Shell. After evaluating her, it was clear that we couldn't put her in an ambulance and transfer her to the nearest hospital with a NICU as she might deliver on the way. We admitted her, gave her medicines to try to delay her labor as well as medicines to help the baby's lungs mature.
She delivered the following morning - a baby boy that weighed 4 pounds 3 ounces. This is a picture taken just a few days ago. With God's grace, he was able to not require mechanical ventilation, is being fed through a nasogastric tube (a tube from his nose to his stomach), and will be with us for a few more weeks. He's not eating quite enough to meet all of his needs yet but will as his neurologic status improves (he's still learning to suck). What has truly been amazing is that as the weekend got more chaotic (including having to admit another woman who was 33 weeks pregnant and in labor - her's fortunately stopped) he remained in excellent condition and never added to our stress. Despite our fears about delivering him at such an early age, God provided for his needs, as well as ours. As it turned out, there weren't any centers willing to take him without a large lump of money attached to him (all of the public hospitals were full).
Please pray for his and his family's needs. His parents are both teenagers and haven't expressed a lot of interest in him yet. Please also pray that they can see the Lord as He attempts to further bless them.
