It had been a relatively challenging night. I hadn’t gotten home till about 11pm and one of the patients I’d been managing overnight was laying heavy on my mind. I wanted to go over early to see her and check on how things were doing. As I was getting close to the hospital I noticed a man and woman supporting between them a younger looking woman who looked like she was struggling to walk. I wondered who she was and what her story was as she looked vaguely familiar. As I walked into the hospital they came in a different door and she collapsed on the floor, I quickly realized she was pregnant –we moved her to a bed and rolled her to maternity. She was confused and groaning. She looked full term. Suddenly I realized why she looked familiar –she was one of our patients that we have been following in the Obstetrics clinic. When we got her back to maternity we were unable to find fetal heart tones. I was in the process of ultrasound machine out when I heard the nurse call, “Doctor!” I looked over and the patient had quit breathing. I went over and assessed for pulse and was unable to find any, so we started CPR and in the meantime I am calling out for different things that we need. My husband comes and as we get a pattern going, I try to find out any history from the mother of the patient of what has happened. What I find out in total later is that the night before she had complained of some back pain that sharply ran down both of her legs that had continued till this morning when they had been able to bring her in. The last time she had felt the baby move was from the night before when the pain had started. “We need to save her!” is the thought running through my head, “God please help!” After 45 minutes of coding her, we make some “last-ditch” efforts and then we finally call it. My heart is breaking . . . she was 14 years old and we lost both her and the baby. I went into the bathroom and cried. I could only pray that somehow through our monthly/weekly interactions with this young mother-to-be that she had somehow come to know our Lord and Savior. The sun was shining, but it felt very overcast to me that day. Are we really making a difference?
“People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever.” 1Peter1:24
It was a different day –New Year’s Eve and I was on call. The day had been steady, nothing too heavy, just continuous. We had a full OB floor and two in labor. One had been in earlier that morning –this was her 5th pregnancy and her second set of twins –all still living! We’d actually sent her “home” that morning as she had showed no cervical change over 12 hours and her contractions seemed to be lightening up. We told her to stay close by the hospital, though. I had been able to go home around midnight and had been asleep for about three hours when I got a phone call, “Doctor, the twins are back and ready to deliver!” She’d walked in just 5 minutes prior and was complete! I quickly rushed over to the hospital to watch as the first baby delivered –the baby is crying and doing very well. I stepped in and worked to find the fetal heart tones of the second. I reapply gel to the probe, move, wait, listen and am unable to find heart tones. I quickly move to get the ultrasound to find heart tones and position of the second baby. This has been the most trepidatious part for me in the past watching and waiting and knowing when to intervene. I turn on ultrasound machine but it’s not working! I quickly unplug and move the cord to another outlet. I plug it in again and flip the switch . . . ok, it’s still not working! “Doctor!” –the head was crowning! “Thank you, Lord!” The second baby came out just as handsome as the first –two beautiful baby boys! I cried. It was a wonderful way to start a new year! I hope and pray that we make a difference and not just in prolonging lives or helping to bring in new life.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Whatever your season of life, we pray that God would bless you and be with you and draw you close to Him in this new year.
Both of these stories made me weep! Please know, my sister, how beautiful is the work you (and Fred) are doing. Being near these women (and their families) in their “hour of need” is an incredible, taxing, and irreplaceable gift. I keep close to my heart this verse, not just for me and my own circumstances, but for all those who suffer: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) When I think about these two stories one after the other, it is almost as if I can sense these words of Christ’s playing out, and certainly on a much larger scale than I could know or imagine. Thank you, Lydia, for being a servant not only in your vocation but also in your spirit, for mourning with those who mourn and rejoicing with those who rejoice — this, too, is the work of Christ. I LOVE YOU!
I AM AMAZED AT ALL OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE….IT MAKES ME **BREATHLESS***JUST TO READ ABOUT YOUR SCHEDULES..BLESS ALL 3 OF YOU AND HOPE YOU CAN GET SOME REST IN BETWEEN ALL THAT IS HAPPENING. BEST WISHES, MARGARET
Lydia and Fred ! What a challenge you both face in many respects. I can only continue to keep praying for you that the Lord protects you, He gives you wisdom and honors your full-time commitment to His service. You ARE making a huge difference to the lives of those you come into contact with. Holy Spirit, come with life-changing power in the lives of those who are touched by this ministry. By the way, Lydia and Fred … you are also awesome (smile).
Linda,
Thanks so much! Please continue to pray for our patients that it is not just their physical bodies that we are touching! Right now we are feeling overwhelmed with trying to meet the physical which makes it hard to reach out also in the spiritual -we are so grateful for the pastors here who can do this in cultural relevant way but praying that God will also give us a chance to see Him in this light as well!
Thank you for all you do there to reach out to those spiritually!
God bless.
A New Year’s Eve that you’ll never forget!
I read your heart wrenching stories. I know these things happen every day in your clinic…I’m glad that you are still able to feel their pain and their joys. That’s what makes you a good doctor. God is the giver of life…you are there to give the best health care possible with what you have. Thank you for being available in such difficult situations. Keep sharing with us. Sending encouragement and love. Margie
oh girl, you touch my heart and bring me to near tears everytime i read your entries. YOU are making a difference. God is using you both to not only reach the African people but to inspire and put life in perspective here for those of us on the homefront. I had a rough day, one of those internal battle days, struggling to keep life in perspective. i read your entry and find myself being reminded of what life is about. so i was worried over what now seem such trivial things! you live, both of you that is!, with such an eternal perspective. it’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day that you lose sight of what is truly important. thank you for reminding me of what matters most and for setting an example of how to live with eternity in mind. God is using you in HUGE ways. i can only imagine how hard it must be for some of the situations you find yourself in and the losses you have incurred, but I know without a doubt how brightly you shine for Jesus. So regardless of the outcome, you have witnessed in mighty ways. I know we’ll meet countless people in heaven that are only there bc of the work you’ve done so obediently and faithfully. May God continue to strengthen you and use you. Thanks again for reminding me of what is most important! I LOVE YOU!!! MISS you terribly!!!
Lydia and Fred, whenever I read your stories my heart reaches out to you both anew. Tragedies of the hard life there and stories of deliverance from difficulties make me realize how blessed my life really is. May God strengthen you to continue to serve Him and the people there. You touch so many lives, not just the ones you treat but also us who are convicted to serve our Lord even more. My prayers continue to go out to you that our Lord will give you strength to carry on and serve the people in Togo and surrounding areas. As you continue to plan your steps, I pray the Lord to provide you guidance for the path He has planned for you.