Yesterday we were all set to celebrate Malaya’s 11th birthday. Jose was getting ready to bake her a cookie cake and we were talking about how everyone was going to play whatever card games she wanted after dinner and hide-n-seek in the dark.
Then just like that we hear a screaming Levi. While climbing down the pool ladder he fell and broke his arm. Something that is simple to deal with in the states is a nightmare to deal with here.
I’m cutting and pasting my Facebook posts so you can see how things unfolded.
I am happy to say that for the first time since this has happened Levi is peacefully asleep and his pain seems to be under control. We are completely exhausted and our hearts/minds have just burned with hurt for our son…..and for parents who have to go through this here every day. God continues to teach me how blessed we are even through the trials…. and how important and vital our medical ministries are.
My son Levi just broke his arm. Emergency flight to pap. He’s in so much pain. Please pray.
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As he was getting in ambulance amongst the tears he said: please tell Malaya I’m sorry for messing up her birthday.
Oh my sweet boy. Please pray for his pain.
I thought Levi would be so drugged he’d sleep but he’s sobbing.
Please keep praying for him. I told him he had an army of people and angels circling him in prayer.
It’s 5:20am here. Levi was up at 7am yesterday for school and has only slept a max of 2 hours since. After all of his crying yesterday you would think he would be exhausted. He just can’t get comfortable and despite requests – they haven’t given him any pain meds since 11pm.
Pierre came with us on the plane and we were talking about what would happen if Levi was a Haitian child. There’s no way they could afford the plane. Levi SCREAMED with each bump to the airstrip. That child would have to go 12 hours on a bus.
They would go from hospital to hospital like we did paying administrative/registration fees only to be told they don’t have what they need. At the first hospital I made 9 trips to registration/pharmacy/supply store. You pay to register and then back again for a file folder and back again for them to print out the stationary/chart.
I asked for IV pain meds for him. So they sent me with a bill to buy the IV catheter, alcohol swab, gloves, etc. Then it’s 3 trips to the pharmacy where we can’t find any medicine in stock. A trip to radiology but the machine is broken. All the while the patient gets no relief.
They would eventually find someone who could help them and then be given a bill that would require 2-3 years of salary or more upfront. And they wouldn’t be seen or cared for until they presented that money in full.
The child would continue to be in agony and by the time they got the funds if at all – significant damage is done because they waited too long.
Though I feel like I just lived through every mother’s worst nightmare in an impoverished country…. I am reminded that for many moms there are no 2nd chances for their children. Their nightmares become realities as they watch their child suffering and scarred.
**
Conjae, Andre, and Pierre are sleeping in a truck in the parking lot. They drove us to the 2nd hospital and refused to leave us even though we said they could. They told me if Levi has problems they want to be close to drive us wherever we need to go. They are not just amazing staff but they are our family.
So this morning though I do feel very frustrated… I also find myself incredibly grateful.
Grateful for the MAF plane that came as soon as we called.
For an amazing family of staff who all came together in Mole and PaP
For the ambulance that waited for us to arrive.
That they performed his surgery last night.
That this hospital room has way less bugs and is cleaner than most
That we can go to the states if we are worried about his recovery
That I do have an army of prayer warriors on standby.
Thanks for your prayers and for your love and support.
**
We were able to find 1 vial of dilauded about 30 minutes from the hospital and once he got it – around noon -13 hours after his surgery – Levi finally went more than 20 minutes without crying. We found a few Tylenol 3 that he’s taking now.
The hospital is just a room with a bed. There’s no tv to distract him. He can’t play on our phone with an IV in one hand and cast on the other. The internet is so slow we couldn’t get Netflix to play. It just makes for a miserable day….
He looks peaceful right now and I think he might finally sleep soon since his pain is more under control.
Thanks again for the prayers and encouragement. I just posted a few days ago that God makes it well in your soul when it’s not well in your circumstances…..living that out right now.
Our friends stuck around all day helping us find medications. I told them they had to go home and it was like sending your kids to their room. They didn’t want to go but momma said its time to go rest! So thankful for them.
