What started out as a very productive day turned fast into a somber, reflective and shocking afternoon. This will last for months. Today Faith, CTC's dedicated manager of the Handicap Children's Day Care and all around amazing woman passed away. It all started yesterday for Alison and I. Faith was not feeling well for some days but nothing serious, or so it seemed. She has had a history of chest problems and physical disabilities. She's fought through hard obstacles in life including Polio at a young age and as she grew older developed a curvature of the spine. With all of this she fought every day for those who were handicap both mentally and physically. She was a bright light with a smile and a warm hug daily.
To get back to what happened. basically she was getting sick over the past week. But on Sunday in Monday she started to get really sick. She had decided on Sunday to just wait until Mon. to get to the hospital. In hind sight she should have never waited. When Al and I first got the call on Monday she was on her way to Naivasha Hospital which freaked Al out as it's not known as the best. So we had her come back to the CTC office and we took her in the truck up to Kijabe (private hospital) immediately. What I saw when she could barely climb into the truck was a devastated woman. She could barely breathe. The best way to describe it is if you have ever been punched in the gut and can't breathe, well that was her constant breathing. It was painful to watch, she was basically gasping constantly, she was drowning. The ride up on the bumpy, damn road was also unbearable to watch. Every lurch seemed to shorten her breath and create a look of desperate panic. Once we got to the hospital I had to lift her out of the truck and place her in a wheel chair, she could not move. We rushed her into the emergency, making a great noise for immediate help. The Kenyan doctors do the absolute best they can, but are so overloaded with patients most get lost in a sea of need. I again had to pick her up off the chair and into a gurney. It tore my heart out because even my lifting and placing the best I could manage obviously put a severe strain and a look of pain and fear ripping through her face. Trying my best to comfort her "Breathe Faith, slow Faith, please breathe." Now I see my words of encouragement were on deaf ears, I don't even know if she heard me. She was struggling to live.
We waited and waited outside and finally a nurse came out and asked if I'd help wheel her to the radiation room. I remember thinking "Sure, no problem." And at the same moment thinking "Wait why are you asking me, where are the hospital people" But it was another example of being under staffed. Ken and I rolled her down various long hallways with perhaps 50 or more Kenyans who were waiting for some time for a doctor just gawking. Little did they know at that time, nor did I, that they were gawking at someone who was not going to make it. Again, in the radiologists area, I picked her up and put Faith on the bed. By this time her eyes were rolling back in her head....... I realize now maybe this is too much detail but it's a bit therapeutic for me. But I'll stop as I don't want to relive it in public, for Faith.
At that point when we left Faith the doctors thought it was pnemonia, which it was. Severe pnemonia. So flash to today Al and I are in a meeting at the office and one of the other ladies who works with the children, Jane, came by and told us she had just heard, Faith had passed. Basically, as we later learned from going and speaking with the hospital, Faith had rebounded a bit overnight but woke to a severe reaction and passed at 10 AM ..........
Upon hearing the news, I walked to the edge of our office and looked up towards the grand mountains in front of me, the Rift Valley. Don't really know what I was looking for at first but then realized I was looking at Kijabe, the place she left us. Just naturally felt right. I really fought every ounce of my being not to break down on the spot. I was in shock. After meeting the family and spending time with them, and this might sound strange, odd, whatever...... I felt blessed. That in her time of need I was able to carry her. I was able to be with her and shoulder the burden in the smallest way I knew how. Feeling blessed does not make it better, though. It does not bring her back for her 3 sons and 1 daughter. I guess it just gives me some solace that I was there for her.
So to Faith, thank you for all you have done for the community of Maai Mahiu. Thank you for your love for your children and constant light you shown on all of us. I don't know where you have gone, but in the place I hope you are happy with no pain. We will miss you Faith and love you from the bottom of our hearts. And Dad, wherever you are, can you please go over to Faith and say hello. Give her one of those huge bear hugs you're known for and help her get comfortable. She might need a friend. Oh and tell her.......well you will know what to say. Love you both!!!!
P.S. I have included two photos of Faith. One helping as she always did, she's in red. And the other with the Mother's of the Handicap Children. She's in the middle, so small so grand.
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