Monday, October 5, 2009

A triplet in need of prayer

The other night on call, I got a call that there were triplets born at home that had just arrived and could I come. Sure, I had always wanted to deliver triplets myself, and wished they had come in inside of their mommy, but was happy to get to see them anyway. I wasn't feeling quite as happy when I saw them. All 3 had congenital abnormalities. 2 had hydrocephalus (large heads due to too much fluid in their skull), one has a cleft palate, and one has a meningocele (defect in the skull where part of the dura, covering of the brain, is sticking out of the skull). I don't know what made these 3 babies turn out the way they did, and unfortunately 2 have already died. Mom has 3 other kids at home to care for, and now 1 baby who is going to have a long road ahead of her, if she makes it. She was the smallest of the group at 1200gm. Pray for her and her family and the challenges ahead.