Current location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

12
Jun
  I realize I haven’t been bloggin on a reg bay. My apologies. So Friday afternoon, Cathleen received a call about an emergency baby crisis. Without getting into specifics (I don’t think I’m allowed to), basically there was a mentally handicapped woman in a remote, slum-like area outside of the city who was neglecting her five day old baby. The baby had a terrible eye infection and a badly infected, very stinky umbilical cord. The mother was walking around outside while the baby was screaming inside, when the social workers arrived. Social workers determined that the mother was not able to take care of this baby anymore, so he was put into CIF care and came to our house. This all happened while I was in language school. A little while after I arrived, Cathleen and another woman (the social worker I’m assuming) came inside holding a tiny baby. I spent the next day looking after the baby and we took him to the clinic. The doctor told us that had he kept on with the cord that way, he could have died. They gave us medicine for the infections and then we went to buy diapers and other baby needs. I split the night with Cathleen staying awake with the baby. I had already been awake since 6am taking care of the baby all day and was TIRED. Plus, knowing you are holding a tiny, weak life in your hands is somewhat terrifying. With advice and moral support from one of my good friends in America, I made it until my “shift” was over.  Today I marveled over how his eye had gone from crusty, swollen, and purple to being open and able to look around in just two days. It’s amazing what simple antibiotics can do. Later on, the emergency care family came to pick him up and I said a sad goodbye. I’m not allowed to post photos, but I drew this picture. What an experience.

 

I realize I haven’t been bloggin on a reg bay. My apologies.

So Friday afternoon, Cathleen received a call about an emergency baby crisis. Without getting into specifics (I don’t think I’m allowed to), basically there was a mentally handicapped woman in a remote, slum-like area outside of the city who was neglecting her five day old baby. The baby had a terrible eye infection and a badly infected, very stinky umbilical cord. The mother was walking around outside while the baby was screaming inside, when the social workers arrived. Social workers determined that the mother was not able to take care of this baby anymore, so he was put into CIF care and came to our house.

This all happened while I was in language school. A little while after I arrived, Cathleen and another woman (the social worker I’m assuming) came inside holding a tiny baby. I spent the next day looking after the baby and we took him to the clinic. The doctor told us that had he kept on with the cord that way, he could have died. They gave us medicine for the infections and then we went to buy diapers and other baby needs.

I split the night with Cathleen staying awake with the baby. I had already been awake since 6am taking care of the baby all day and was TIRED. Plus, knowing you are holding a tiny, weak life in your hands is somewhat terrifying. With advice and moral support from one of my good friends in America, I made it until my “shift” was over. 

Today I marveled over how his eye had gone from crusty, swollen, and purple to being open and able to look around in just two days. It’s amazing what simple antibiotics can do. Later on, the emergency care family came to pick him up and I said a sad goodbye.

I’m not allowed to post photos, but I drew this picture.

What an experience.