CHAPTER 4 At the hospital

Robert! Robert! I woke him up.When he woke up he started to cry."Roba! my baby I am back.Louis was awake too.When I touched him he was having high temperature.He told me to give him potty so that he can urinate.He did not urinate.He insisted that he wants to urinate but when I gave him potty,he wouldn't urinate.When I checked his bladder was full of urine and he was not able to urinate.

It was 1am in the morning, when we arrived at the nearest hospital.The doctor examined the Robert and inserted catheter in the bladder for the urine to flow from the body to a balloon bag.That balloon bag was full within five minutes.The urine was drain out.When the bladder was empty the doctor removed the catheter and gave us some antibiotics drugs.He assured us that Robert is going to be well.

When we reached in the house l went straight to the bed because I was tired after a long journey from upcountry ,Robert slept too.

At 6 am I heard Robert crying and waking up he was asking me to give him potty.The bladder was full again.I looked at my child and I felt discouraged and asked God why Satan was against my child.

I prepared to go to Kenyatta national hospital.I didn't know where the hospital was.I took a bus to town and met my brother who was to escort us to the hospital.My brother carried helped carry him to the hospital.

At the hospital queue was long but I thank the nurse on duty because immediately she saw us, she took us direct to nurse station.I gave Robert's details and the nurse took a thermometer in his armpit, for some few minutes.His body temperature was 39' degrees Celsius.The nurse was shocked and asked mama when was the child started being sick."On Saturday morning",I answered.She called another nurse to take as to casualty room. As we were passing going to casualty room everyone else was looking at us with anxious eyes.They wanted to know what was the matter.

When we reached there I was crying as well.

A tall ,well build man with a white capped teeth greeted us with a broad smile.He gave us a warm welcome.While the other man was busy writing standing next on a table with many files.

The nurse gave him Robert's file and left the room.The tall doctor looked at it and moved towards Robert.He touched his forehead, cheeks and asked me Robert's age."Three years and two months ",I replied."When was catheter insertion done",he asked.At night.

He carried Robert at placed him on examination table.Took blood, urine in the laboratory for test.

While waiting for results ,he was still asking me questions about Robert's life and previous treatment.He touched his abdomen several times as he writes down.They were discussing with the other doctor who was in the same room.

When the results were out ,they told me Robert was having urinary tract infection that's why he is not passing urine.They prescript for him some drugs,and gave me a sealed envelope to take it for ultrasound near university way hospital.The doctor told me to go home because the child is tired and I may take the envelope tomorrow.

At home my son eat and slept well until morning when I prepared to go for the ultrasound.I arrived being anxious to know what was wrong with my boy.Sonograper was jovial, talkative, medium age man.He talked to Robert softly and slowly with gestures until Robert was relaxed.He did ultrasound analysis and wrote the results on a paper.Put it in an envelope and told me to return to the doctor who had sent me to him.He told me the boy will be well.

It was passed 5pm as I decided to go home and relax because the day was long and I was tired of carrying the boy .

When I entered casualty on that day I got that tall doctor,his official tag had a name Njiru.I gave Njiru the envelope,he opened it.He read it a short a while then look at Robert.Place that paper with results on the table called other two doctors.They read together and discussed in doctor's terms that I didn't understand.Njiru took Robert placed him on examination table put on gloves.He removed his trouser, diaper, took his finger and inserted into Robert's anus.He was feeling uncomfortable so he started to cry.

I heard he say ,he is touching something hard."Is it faeces or what?",one of the three doctors asked.He answered " I can't tell .

Doctor Njiru asked me,"when did Robert excrete". "Today morning",I replied."Are sure mama".I was sure because I had changed his diaper morning before leaving to the hospital."Yeah" I replied.

The three sat together wrote their discovery.After discussing and writing, doctor Njiru ,told me he would like my son to be admitted in the hospital so that more investigation can be done.They would like to know why the boy is not passing urine.Second why the muscles on the abdomen is thick.

I called my husband to tell him the whole process and what the doctor were planning to do.He had nothing to do but to agree with the doctors.

I had no money with me, to pay for admission.To be admitted I had to cough eight thousand Kenya shillings.My husband borrowed from a friend ten thousand and sent me to pay for admission.I didn't go back home but called my brother to inform him I am admitted at Kenyatta national hospital.Robert had improved from high temperature and urine infection.He still had the catheter.

We were admitted in ward 3 bed number 8.It was children's ward.On bed number three was a mother of Brian ,who welcomed us in the ward.Mama Brian was a Kikuyu and we're Luo from western part of Kenya.I changed Robert in hospital uniform and investigation was to start the following day.