Reblogged from "Deb's Heart in Africa" by Australian Nurse Deb Louden
Towards the end of last year I met a patient only a few
years younger than myself. She already had two children, one five years old, the
other three. The three year old was by her side, as was her mother. Her husband, she
said, had abandoned her when her tumour started growing. It was eight years ago
that some form of tumour began to grow from her maxilla (cheekbone) and out of her mouth. After
spending a long time in a local hospital with little to no help and the tumour
not reducing but actually growing in size, she came to us.
As the tumour grew,
her small body shrunk and by the time she sat on the bed in our ward she was
really just skin and bone. We spent a few weeks trying to fatten her up before
we operated. It was a very delicate balance and we needed to remove the tumour
before her body got too sick, but we needed her to be healthier before the
tumour was removed so that she would heal well.
In the end, we had to remove the tumour before we could get
her healthier, because we were running out of time. Much prayer went into the
weeks and days before her surgery and God did amazing things for her. The
surgery went better than expected and she was not even ventilated post
operatively.
As the time has moved on, she has not yet gained weight
even though we are trying so hard. Her wound has begun to break down and we
desperately need you to pray for her.
As I looked after her tonight, I removed her bandages, and
my heart sunk as I saw her face beginning to gap open. I can see that it’s from
malnutrition that her body doesn’t have enough reserve to give her good
healing. We’re doing the best we can for her with medicine and good care, but
we need more and that’s where I need your help. Please pray for her! Think of
her at every meal time, when you are giving yourself good nutrition to fuel
your body, remember that she needs it too, perhaps more than us, who often eat
because it’s time or because it tastes good.
Please help us by praying and you’ll be
taking part in her amazing story of restoration.
