Sarah from Soleil Returns (Dedicated to Augusta Dwyer)

Sarah from Soleil
St. Catherine's Hospital
October 16, 2012
(Photo by John Carroll)

A few months ago I wrote this post about an infant girl named Sarah from Soleil.

Please read this post while I wait. Go ahead and take your time. I am in no hurry.
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Good. You are back.

Well, during the last few months I had concluded that Sarah most likely died. No one had any definite news on her. I did not think her mom had breast fed her adequately. She lived in Wharf Soleil, just a few blocks from this pediatric clinic, which is the worst place on the face of the earth.

In July I worked at We Advance at Wharf Jeremy which is another pathetic slum near Soleil. The staff  at We Advance told me that said they had not seen Sarah or her mother to offer her free powdered milk.

Today, out of the blue, Sarah was carried into our clinic in Soleil by her mother. She is alive and looks much better but she is quite ill with fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Surprise.)

But Sarah is alive and is seven months old. She weighs 5.7 kg which is 12. 5 pounds! And the only reason she survived is her mother breast fed her.

Success for Sarah. Success for Soleil. Success for all of us.

We admitted Sarah to St. Catherine's Hospital this morning, started and IV, and she is on ampicillin and gentamycin. I watched through the slats in the window as her mother breast fed Sarah.

This is much better than I ever dreamed.


John A. Carroll, MD
www.haitianhearts.org