Saturday, February 28, 2015

Children in the ETC

It must be a trying time for RK who has been here for several days now with Ebola test running from indeterminate to negative then to positive.  She was eventually transferred from the Probable Ward to the Convalescent Ward.  Today she had another positive test and she would be moved to the Confirmed Ward with Doris.  In the beginning Doris showed no symptoms but over the cause of 2 weeks she gradually manifests the natural course of Ebola infection.  RK has no symptoms now; it would be wonderful if she indeed has a minor form of Ebola.  She is pregnant and Ebola infection will put her fetus at risk.

Doris has been weakened so much that she no longer could walk without assistance.  Thankfully she is not actively bleeding and her diarrhea has stopped at least for now.  She still continues to say she is fine.  When I asked her what she would like, she requested couscous and soft drinks.   If she does eat couscous and drink, this may be signs of a turning point.  She was in respiratory distress last night but today she is able to lie with her head only slightly elevated without feeling short of breath.

In the early afternoon, 2 young brothers Ishmael and Emmanuel, ages 4 and 2 were admitted from the Observation Interim Care Center (OICC) when they spiked a temperature after staying there for 2 days.  Their father had died not long ago.  The younger one was eating until he caught sight of us in PPE.  Although he did not cry, he was obviously shrinking from us and did not like to be fussed over.  He stopped eating.  He had a fever and was a little more restless than his older brother who ate heartily.  Later on a 3-day-old baby, Abu, whose mother died of Ebola was also admitted.  Our ETC is suddenly filled with very young patients. 

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