My baby was misdiagnosed and died

Lilian Ochieng’-Mwakio shares her story in her own words on losing her baby after the baby was mis-diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia yet the baby had Malaria. She shares her experience and and choosing to live again. – read on.

“Being pregnant with my first child was a blessing, the first time a woman experiences a little someone growing inside her, it makes her glow. It changes one’s life. It actually changed my life for the better. I became more responsible and started preparing for my delivery day.

May 15, 2010, I gave birth to a bouncing baby girl at 3.8kgs she was very chubby and so pretty. I felt overwhelmed with joy and was happy to see my cute little one suckling her thumbs away immediately after birth. It was an awesome feeling. I had agreed with my husband Robert Mwakio for the baby to be named Wakesho so she was named Celyne Wakesho.

We recorded on video every step of her life ,Celyne was a blessing in our lives.

 

My beautiful angel first fell ill on turning 5 months and she was admitted at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kisumu. The doctors there said she was suffering from sickle cell, a thing we disputed because there are no strains of sickle cell in either of our families. She was admitted for  a week or so but what made me really  sad was that the doctors could not find veins to add her water or  carry out a blood transfusion five days on. Doctors tried in vain. The sound of my baby crying for five days and more made my loins sick. I felt ill, and helpless each day she cried and had to take long walks as I asked God for a solution. I really loved this little angel, she was my first, had given me the experience of being a mother and brought joy to my life. I still love her and think about her quite often.

She went back home after healing, and fell ill again when she turned a  month older. We had to rush her to hospital, this time round we took her to a personal pediatrician Dr Walter who said the baby’s disease had been misdiagnosed. She was suffering from severe malaria but not sickle cell. She was admitted again for two weeks and came out fine and lovely. She had started walking as she held onto seats at that time. She was only six months old. Our precious flower.

The sad day came on December 20 when Wakesho was seven months old almost turning eight. She had a serious stomach ache whole night long and could not sleep. I spent the night trying to make her comfortable, trying to ease her digestion but the pain was too severe. I woke up early morning with my hubby and rushed her to the hospital, Aga Khan labs were not operational, her pedetrician was also on a seminar, to make matters worse there was a doctors strike.

We tried all we could do and finally got into Russia Hospital in Kisumu where the nurses grabbed her from my hands and rushed her  to the emergency room.

The site of tubes all  over her mouth, her little body being pumped for resuscitation could not help. It was painful. I find it quite hard talking about it. It still aches me. The empty pain of my baby no more, helpless on the emergency bed. Oh it was bad. The time was around 3.30 pm on December 20, 2010.

I was left a mad woman. I did not believe that she had left me, I refused to let her go but the nurses took her from me, they took her away as I watched. I wanted to hold her and run away with her to a place where I could ask God to bring her back to life. It was so painful. I have never cried like I did on that day. The pain of labor came back fresh and real as if I was giving birth again. It was the pain of loss. A pain that cannot be explained.

I spent the  next few days dazed, in my own world, barely managing any sleep, barely thinking and contemplating suicide. I asked God so many questions so many questions that made me sad and bitter.

I had been too good, praised God so much I had even tithed but He still took away my flower, my beloved baby. It was painful. Then I asked myself where and how I had failed. I wanted to quit work because I could not work. I still pressed breast milk from my breast because it could really make me uncomfortable. That made me so sad, I wanted to keep the milk for my baby. I didn’t want to waste it.

My husband was equally so affected to the point that he saw no need to live so we were two dazed people.  Wishing the clock could turn around by at least a second so that we could turn things around. We could save our beloved Wakesho.

My parents advised that I attend counseling so I got a counselor at Amani counseling center in Kisumu, reinsurance plaza. I was bad in bad shape when I walked into her room. She just started by talking to me and I could tell her my baby’s story  every day, she did not mind. She then advised me to conceive so that I could feel the same joy of motherhood ones more.

 Luckily and unknowingly, I was already pregnant a month by that time. I did not know about it because I was so preoccupied with my mourning and loss that  I had no time for anything else.

I was so unwell and so skinny that she recommended that I see a doctor, when I saw my doctor, she told me that I was pregnant. I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t particularly happy because I did not want to lose my second baby too. So I went around seeking for advice on what to do.

I believed in God for all to turn out well then started the journey towards taking care of myself. All these time, I made a promise to keep visiting my daughters grave and putting fresh flowers on it. I did it for quite some time till my counselor discouraged me from it. She told me to look forward and believe that God will take me through. She told me that Wakesho was now comfortable in God’s hands and would be our guardian angel. She then told me I had to prove myself a good mother by taking care of the little boy in my stomach.

I did just that and continued praying for God to help me through. When I gave birth to Tyi in October 15, 2011, I thought he looked just like her sister. He brought me joy and I really thank God for him. I muttered a little prayer to God and told Him that this is your son, I dedicate him to you, take care of him for me and teach him your word. God has been faithful, He Has done just that. Tyi is a lovely boy has brought so much love to our house.

For those who are in a similar situation, just live it all to God, seek counseling because it will help a great deal. God always knows what is good for you and knows why everything happens. Just praise him in the good and bad times; He will see you through because He has seen me through.”

She concludes.