May 30th: ANC Clinic and First Round of Shopping

            I spent the day again with Sanjeewani today in the ANC clinic as she counseled the women. Sanjeewani started the clinic by explaining the purpose of the visit to the women that were gathered in the beginning. After explaining all the general information to the group she proceeded to speak with each woman individually about their person and family medical history. There were a few women that tested positive so Sanjeewani asked the women to bring their husbands in so that they could also be tested. None of the men today also tested positive but there was a couple that had come in yesterday that both tested positive. This was their first pregnancy however since the woman was 24 weeks along there was no prenatal testing that they could offer so the couple was advised to deliver here at the hospital in Nagpur so that the baby would immediately be screened as part of the hospitals Sickle Cell Newborn Screening Program. Sanjeewani also advised the couple that should come in for a family planning visit before they decided to have another child.

The husband's wife tested positive for sickle/thal trait so he had to come in and get tested as well.
Poonam the lab tech does his blood draw

Sanjeewani explains to the husband why he has to get his blood drawn

The couple already had a child so he was also tested to see if he had Sickle/thal trait. He was such a champ. Didn't cry at all. 

Sanjeewani explains to the mom that her husband and son are both negative and only she has trait

Another husband getting his blood drawn after his wife received a positive trait test

Sanjeewani talking to the girl about her family and medical history

          In the afternoon I got to see a number of the pediatric ward patients and boy was there a variety. There was young girl that was so severely malnourished that all you could see were her bones. Apparently her mother had continued to breastfeed her and never had given her any other food with the necessary nutrients. We also saw children with Cerebral Palsy, Hyperbilirubinemia, Duchenne’s, and Thalassemia. It seems like the growth of most of these children is stunted and kids that are 11 and 12 looks like they are 5 or 6 years old. I was amazed when Dr. Jain told me the ages of the children because honestly there was no way that I would have known. There are over 46 different wards in the hospital and today was the first day that I got to explore a little bit and see a few of the wards. The picture below is one that my sister took of one of the pediatric wards.

Pediatric Ward

          Dr. Jain asked one of the pediatric residents to take us out shopping in the evening which was a lot of fun. Shruti, the resident, had been spending a lot of time with my sister and she was a super nice person to hang out with. She took us to a mall nearby so my sister and I could buy more clothes. (We always need more clothes right?) I got a super pretty sari that I fell in love with J Hopefully I can get the blouse stitched in time.

 

My sari :-) 

One salwar kameez set

And two kurtis :-)