I wrote this post on August 6th.
Each week (except for when she did not show up) since then I have met with the Mom and begged, pleaded, encouraged, asked nicely, asked meanly, and then begged some more for her to give J.P. the Medika Mamba each and every day.
I know she is not giving it to him. I do not know where it is going. He is failing. His health is poor and I see no improvement no matter what we say or do.
The choices get really difficult at this point. I feel frustrated, angry, and upset. I struggle to show her any love. These situations are the ones that discourage us the most. I don't know the remedy.
I am asking her to take him to Missionaries of Charity and leave him with them. I don't know how much longer his 10lb body can continue on without proper nutrition. If she is given the food but won't give it to him, I have no idea what the next alternative move should be. He turned one this month.
If the Mom won't do the work required to get the Mamba into him, I am hoping she will leave him with someone who will until he is stronger and ready to return to her.
![Livesay [Haiti] Weblog](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WImkelA85fQ/T774B_tbjMI/AAAAAAAANjM/Zup5rYTxdWs/s810/blog%2Bheader%2BTRL2011-07-07_%2B%25281%2529.jpeg)
Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and be a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to have done nothing and succeeded at it. -erwin lutzer
8 comments:
Oh, that is so hard. Praying for wisdom for you and a softened heart for the Mom.
praying for wisdom... that makes me so sad. i know she loves that little boy but what can you do? praying, praying, praying...
Tara -
I can only imagine how incredibly tough it is watch this happening. I have seen it posted on another blog that the families are removed from the program if they fail to comply.
I know this is a horrible decision. The only thing would be that there are so many more families that might willingly comply to save their child. If you take it away, maybe she will take him to Missionaries of Charity (??). Sometimes people don't use the options until there are no other options.
Bless you Tara for all your efforts and for staying in it when it is really hard.
Debbie Woodward
Tara,
Thank you for showing this mother and her son so much love. I know it can be so frustrating.
Medika Mamba works so much better on an inpatient basis, where you can ensure that the child is receiving it. I think it's good to show the successes AND the failures. Malnutrition has so many causes and as you know, isn't always just because of a lack of food. We will never know the paths the mothers walk, but the best we can do is walk with them a while with a soft heart...and pray for them.
Thanks Ellen -
I am learning that out-patient is so much more difficult ... and it is hard to make a call to stop giving the Mamba. Ugh. I so wish I could understand what I DO NOT understand in this situation. I meet with her tomorrow (the Mom) to try to get a plan in action with MOC. J.P is so so sweet and so so innocent. My heart breaks for him.
I think it is important to show failure too --- Licia and Lori have had kids die early in treatment ... not every single kid is strong enough to turn around. Not every single family can or will work hard to get their kid healthy again.
it is kind of the long defeat.
Wow, that is heavy. I'll be praying that mom will come to an understanding and things will turn around for J.P. Prayers for you too as you struggle with this.
Loves,
Jana
Tara,
How about showing her some "before and after pictures" . . . maybe she'll believe it then. A picture says a thousand words.
Hang in there!
I often helpe the MC's do intake on babes like these... sometimes it was just too late. I hope the mom takes him in. sigh
Post a Comment