When I got out of bed, I took a good look at the
room and saw that it was a really nice hotel. After taking a shower, I got
dressed and went downstairs to the taxi park and headed for the hospital.After getting lost a number of times, (it was a
huge hospital), I made my way to the (T)ICU and asked to see Kechi.
In the ICU, it was one nurse per patient, and I
introduced myself to the nurse taking care of Kechi and was informed that her
blood pressure had dropped because her body was going into septic shock. She
had been immediately placed on adrenaline drugs to bring up her blood pressure
and antibiotics for the infection. She assured me that the doctor said this was
not unusual in burn patients. I stood over Kechi and took a good look at her.
Her
body was so swollen that she did not look like herself at all. Her face was
very dark, one side burnt away. Her left ear was black and I knew that was
going to be a problem later. Her body was losing a lot of fluids and the sheets
were soaked.
Looking
back at it now, I realize that throughout Kechi's stay in South Africa, I never
saw what everyone saw when they looked at her. Other people saw a broken body
that could not possibly survive the injuries to it. I saw Kechi. And I knew she
was going to be fine. There was a complete lack of doubt in my mind that God would
see her through. Later, my family would accuse me of not telling them the full
story about Kechi's injuries, because I would always say Kechi was fine when
they asked me.
After
looking her over that morning, I sat down and began what would become a daily
routine of praying and reading portions of the bible to her. That morning, Mom
sent me a text that I should read Psalm 91 to Kechi and use it as my prayer
focus. Then I started to talk to her. I told her of how much she was loved,
calling out the names of everyone that sent their love to her...
To be Continued...
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