Claude's in the Hospital

On Monday evening Mama Arlene called from the children's home and said that Claude was in the hospital.  He was (is) having severe edema and a terrible cough.  His little head and hands and feet and stomach all were very swollen.  

So on Tues. I went to see him.  This is how he was on Tues.  

The swelling had gone down some but he was giggly... and so excited 

that we had come to visit. 

The woman in the picture is Francoise.  She is one of the baby nurses from the home and she has been staying night and day with Claude. 

Mama also came up from the home on Tues. and we had lunch with her

and Louisa, ( Lucky's sponsor back in Kigali for a time) and Oswald, her driver. 

Louisa had brought a Winnie the Pooh Book for the kids so Mama brought it to Claude.

He loved it.  I must tell you that he has been put on a "milk" diet.. 

Some kind of very thin milky drink and that is ALL he can eat or drink. 

This disturbs me.  

I took a break to go to the restroom and this is what i found. 

A hospital with running water... but no soap or towels.  

When i got back i found this adorable picture of all the other kids

joining in the fun.  Claude is in a ward with old kids, newborns and mommies

and some of the children have severe deformations.
 It was heart breaking.... but Claude seemed 

on the mend.... This was Tues...

I visited Wed. and he seemed a little less happy but not miserable.  He 

just wanted to eat but they wouldn't let him.  His diagnosis is Malnutrition along with the 

edema and something about a pericarditus fissure.  If there are any Dr's reading this 

please let me know what you think about this.  

So on Thurs... yesterday when I went he was crying out in pain... his stomach as hard

as a rock... and still he has had no food, no iv, nothing but the "milk" since Mon. 

I finally found an intern that spoke English who gave me the diagnosis above and

he told me that Claude's Dr. had told him he could eat...  But the nurse at the station in the ward said.. NO---- he can't -- the nutritionist said he could only have milk. 

So correct me if i'm wrong but if you have body fluids accumulating shouldn't you have MORE fluids to flush it out and if you have malnutrition shouldn't you have more food??? 

They were to call Mama last night but i raised quite a stink at the hospital.  Even the intern said he didn't understand what was going on.  Can you imagine in the states the nurses listening to the nutritionist and not the Dr.??? 

Anyway, after being at the hospital for 2 hours or more...  Claude finally stopped crying and i took his picture close to his nurse. 

Claude is 6 years old... and still able to be carried on her back..

He is that small.... more the size of a 3 yr. old with the look of an older child. 

So please pray for both Claude and Franciose and the Drs!  I will see them again

today and trust that he has been given some food and water. 

I will let you know more later today! 

love,

margie