"Defend the Cause of Orphans"

I am hoping to have a few stories of cured patients soon, we have several that are currently on the mend. However, today I do not have one of those stories to share.

A few days ago three small boys came via ambulance. They were brothers, ages ranging from 5-8. The 8-year-old was the sickest of the three but none of them looked well. We learned from the ambulance driver that their dad had died but the driver didn't know what killed him.

He did, however, know that the little boys' mother had died of Ebola. We admitted them, started IVs, gave iv fluid, and prayed. Not wanting to separate the brothers, we placed them in beds side by side. That night, the 8-year-old died, which his brothers witnessed. The lab results came back the next day--he had Ebola as does his youngest brother. The middle one the test was inconclusive. We moved the youngest Saturday night to the confirmed ward. He walked there on his but his steps were slow. Sunday morning we went inside to give patient care and breakfast. I didn't have the heart to wake the 7-year-old. He was sleeping so peacefully, and being awake right now would be a living nightmare. I asked the caregiver, Zainab, if she would help him eat when he woke. She agreed even though her specific charge was a few beds away and far younger.

On to probable, where the man who lost his wife remains by himself. He has been alone in probable for 3 days now, ever since we had to move his baby to confirmed. He was looking better today, and was actually hungry which is a good sign.

On to confirmed. I always take a deep breath as we approach confirmed. What will I find upon entering? Will someone be dead? Who? How many? Will someone have fallen? Will our charges look better or worse than when I last laid eyes on them? Is my PPE still in place and protecting me from this dreadful disease? And, slightly humorously, can I still see well through my goggles or has the fog taken over?

Everyone was alive Sunday morning. No one had a fever in confirmed. I visited the youngest brother. He was sitting upright but just staring off into space. I gave him his breakfast but he didn't touch it. He didn't move. We finished passing food to everyone and I came back and sat down next to him and tried to encourage him to eat. He ate some but very little. He did drink about 2 1/2 cups water. He didn't do much for himself. In nursing school you are taught that children tend to regress in their developmental stages when they are sick or exposed to trauma. He meets both criteria. Psychosocial is going to try to find him a caregiver. Without one he will die; he will not eat or drink without encouragement.


Abba, Father, comfort the orphans. Comfort this small child. His elder brother was awake when I doffed and was standing at the front of the suspect ward, just staring. Will he see his only living nuclear family member again? I don't know.

Was reading Isaiah this morning and came across the following verse. Quite appropriate for what I witnessed shortly thereafter in high risk.

"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." (‭Isaiah‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ NLT)