Wednesday, July 16, 2008
“The people in our village told me to come here, to the Médecins Sans Frontières clinic, because my children would get food and medication. I hope my two girls will get better quickly,” said Subo, the mother of Sheleme and Kutuba. She doesn’t seem worried. She has an air of confidence and trust that is almost overwhelming.
Nevertheless, Sheleme and Kutuba are suffering from severe malnutrition, the girls are still in danger of dying. Three days after their admission, there is still no room for optimism. In light of this, the assistant nutritionists continue to give the girls the F75 milk 8 times a day from six in the morning until 3 at night.
“Katuba is losing the oedemas on her feet, she’s healing well”, explains Julie, one of the nurses at the centre. “Since yesterday she’s been able to take F100, a therapeutic milk that is thicker than what we give in the transition stage, it’s the next step in the nutritional schedule.”
Sheleme is still in a stable condition; her gaze is continuously cast downwards. The oedemas haven’t been stamped out of her but she’s taking the F75 milk relatively well. Besides a few episodes of vomiting, she’s reacting well to the treatment. It’s impossible to imagine the little girl she was before malnutrition racked her face and body.
Along with 170 other hospitalised children at the centre, Sheleme and Kutuba can expect another night under plenty of covers and under constant medical surveillance. July nights are cold in Kuyera and children weakened by severe malnutrition must avoid hypothermia at all costs.
Friday, July 19, 2008
The damned oedemas have persisted for several days now. Yesterday at daybreak Sheleme once again refused to drink the therapeutic milk. This set off alarm bells for the doctors who thought they would have to put her on a feeding tube.
Sheleme was terrified. At the last second her mother, Subo, refused: “I told them I could do it myself, that I would make sure Sheleme drinks the milk at the scheduled times day and night.” And the hours that followed proved her right. Today Sheleme can move her head a little bit. Her oedemas have begun to disappear which has triggered a weight loss- although this seems counterproductive it’s actually normal in children with kwashiorkor: Sheleme has dropped to 10 kg from 10.5 kg.
At 2pm, when Subo brings the twins for their daily bath, Sheleme is almost able to walk on her own down the corridors of the centre. Despite the warm water provided by Médecins Sans Frontières to prevent hypothermia, Sheleme wails while her mother bathes her. Katuba quietly observes the scene and holds her twin sister’s dress until it’s over.
“Despite a few coughs, Sheleme’s recuperation is good. Like her sister, she’ll be able to start the F100 milk, a thicker milk that we give to children in the transition stage,” says the doctor named Karen, obviously delighted. This is undoubtedly an encouraging turn of events for her and all of the medical personnel; last night, two children died in the centre.
