Christine's CP story

 My name is Becky and here's my journey with my daughter Christine. I remember vividly in the year 2017 when I conceived her and the moment I knew I was pregnant I started my clinics. It was a very smooth pregnancy. I did scans just to confirm all is well until Nov 15th when labour pain started. I was so excited to be called a mother and so together with my hubby we went to the hospital. The labour pain was not so intense not until they induced me. Drama started

.... I laboured. It was painful. It took more than 15 hours and still not dilating well. I remember I called out for my hubby to rub my back when this doctor on duty chased him out....he told my hubby he's causing me not to labour. He had such a bad attitude. The pain I was feeling was unbearable. Roughly he inserted his fingers to check how far I had dilated. Unfortunately he did it wrong and he shouted at me...,"See now you broke the water” I remember I wailed. It was so painful. Instead of helping me he went away not bothering to help me.I was also bleeding.I tried calling the nurse but she was on Whatsup enjoying the videos she was watching while shouting at me that I will wake the Newborns in the ward ....I felt bad.It continued like that and at around the 18th hour I was at 10cm.

Then something terrible happened my baby was in distress after the long labour and also to add salt to injury what the doctor had done to me so the dilation started closing (direct translation) njia ikaanza kujifunga.... the doc who mishandled me was nowhere to be seen until another one came and declared it Emergency.

It was too late. My daughter was hurt. When she came out at 7:30am she cried non stop. They thought it's hunger so she was given baby formula but that didn't stop her from crying .... she was convulsing .

My daughter could not suckle. The nurses assured me A Paedetrician will come to check my girl. The doc checked in the following day. So the unfortunate thing was that my daughter convulsed 2 good days. I personally didn't know.....and the nurses didn't tell me.

When the doctor finally arrived he just shook his head and ordered us to take the baby to the NBU. That was my worst moment ever.They fixed Oxygen and strong drugs....It was devastating seeing her in that state.

I was nursing my Cs wound and so due to stress I was in great pain. She was monitored for a Whole week until she became stable.

We were discharged and asked to be back for check up after 1 week. We went back and all was well. I forgot to mention the doctor didn't mention to us Cp..... it was until my daughter was 3 months old and neck wasn't firm and also something terrible caught our attention. During sleep and when waking up my daughter's hands could shake uncontrollably. We called the doctor who referred us to KNH.... that's when the Neurologist confirmed our worst fears that she is Cerebral Palsic....

I remember my hubby and I looked like Zombies. We cried. It's been a tough journey. Our daughter has been experiencing seizures...twiches. Those things are monsters....they make an individual regress. She was put on medication that is Epilim and Rivotril which are expensive but she really needs them to be okay. Good news is the Convulsive condition has reduced and we thank God. 3 years down the line she's still on diapers. Very expensive to maintain but God has been faithful to us.

We were once asked to do a CT SCAN and the doctor gave me a devastating results that her brain was badly damaged. She was also declared Microcephalic (Small head) and that she'll never do some things in life....

I just prayed and cancelled those reports and declared my daughter will one day be independent.

To date I change her diapers, feed her (blended foods),hectic in giving her water in which in most cases throws up everything. Another challenge it's been Househelps who dont understand how to handle her and so I purposely resigned from work to take care of her myself. It is not a walk in the park it's not easy but the Grace of God is sufficient. Am just a Custodian....she belongs to God and one thing is for sure she is a blessing in our lives and a testimony in the making.

I take this opportunity to thank you Rose for helping me come out....I thought I was alone until I got to know you and your journey as well. Thank you so very much.

274Maureen Atichi, Maseki Stephanie and 272 others

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