A Big Ordeal - A Shot in the dark written by Mongolita


Naomi reached out for her daughter's soft, silky tiny hands, and stroked them gently while she was feeding her. It had been a week since Albana arrived in this world and when Noami first held her, her feeling of love for this bundle was instant and innate. 

Naomi, for the past two days, had been suffering from excruciating cramps in her stomach. She thought paracetamol would help but the pain and symptoms persisted and continued feeling feverish, cold and couldn't contain her body from shaking. 

Her husband, Roberto, returned to the refugee Hotel after meeting Zulema for an update on their asylum application. When he arrived he noticed Noami's face, sweaty and greyish in colour. 

“Darling, are you feeling ok? You really look pale. You’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday and now it's Saturday. I think we should call the ambulance.”

“You're right, I don't feel ….. ” and before Naomi could finish the sentence, she fainted. 

He knew his wife needed medical attention quickly. He ran to Mercedes, the Hotel receptionist, to call for an ambulance, then ran to his in-laws, knocked on their room door, explained what happened and asked them to look after baby Albana.

When the ambulance arrived, Roberto jumped inside. Naomi was carried on a stretcher, with the blue lights on flashing. He was worried that his wife was drifting in and out of consciousness. He had a gut feeling there was something seriously wrong with his wife. Inside the ambulance the nurse was trying to keep her awake. Her temperature kept rising and her blood pressure dropped significantly.

When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors waiting at the entrance, took her into one of the ER cubicles and did the usual tests to see what was causing the fever and the fainting. She was soon put on a drip with antibiotics. Roberto never left her side. 

A few hours had passed, and the doctor who assisted in Naomi’s labour came to talk to them since the antibiotics weren't clearing the infection. Naomi was sleeping, besides she was too weak to take part in the conversation. So they stepped outside.

“Your wife is in great danger, she has sepsis, and the treatment we are planning to follow is a shot in the dark. The cause of her infection was due to some remains of gauze left behind when we stitched the incision after she gave birth, and we don't have the right medication to stop it. The hospital in Mendoza is the only place in the whole of Argentina that has this antibiotic. Unfortunately, there is a storm brewing so they might not be able to send the helicopter. We are trying to keep her alive in the meantime.“

“A shot in the dark!? What are you saying!! Listen carefully, if my wife dies because of your negligence, you’ll answer not only to me, but also to the UN.”

Naomi was awakened by Roberto's shouting. Enraged by the doctor’s diagnosis he went to her beside and sat next to her.

“I'm sorry darling, I didn't mean to wake you. You know, the doctor who is treating you, is the same one who delivered our daughter. We were talking about your treatment. Mendoza is sending the medication, please try to rest and get some sleep.”

Roberto couldn't bring himself to tell Noami the truth. 

Beneath the scary thoughts of losing her and that he might be a widower at dawn, he had a beam of hope that the helicopter would arrive on time to save his wife. 

The night had just begun.

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