Life and Death in the Congo (2006) - Part 1
- Kent Galloway
- Aug 4, 2021
- 1 min read
An excerpt from "Courage in the Congo: A Doctor's Fight to Save the Pygmies"
Available now on Amazon:
The next day, I checked on Bekasi John on my way to the office. He had pulled his IV out, and I could not believe that I found no one with him. He talked about some ancestor who bewitched him and caused his sickness.
As I rested that afternoon, an intern knocked on my door and told me I should go quickly to the hospital because Bekasi John fell critically ill. I rushed over and found him in a frantic state as three boys tried to hold him down. When I touched him, I knew he had a temperature of 104. I instructed someone to go and get an IV of quinine and glucose.
John had cerebral malaria. We had a hard time holding him down to get the IV needle in. I gave him 10 milligrams of valium in an IV, and it did not affect him. One boy laid on John's chest, one on his legs, and another held his left arm. I secured his right arm that had the IV needle in it. I told someone to go and get three more boys. I did not have the strength to sit there, holding the boy's arm. He fell asleep. I let out a sigh and said, "Thank you, Lord."
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