This morning a young woman in the ward died. She had been admitted yesterday following a series of eclamptic fits which she started having at least a couple of days previously. She came from a town very near to the Sudanese border, some 150km away. The hospital that her family had taken her to when she became unwell – presumably she had not had any antenatal care – does not have an obstetrician but the doctors there had given her diazepam for her high blood pressure. As you would expect, the blood pressure remained problematic and with the baby still unborn, she started to have a series of fits. It’s not clear exactly what happened after this but she arrived at Gimbie hospital more or less unconscious, was then delivered of a healthy baby girl using forceps and given some magnesium for her blood pressure. Sadly, the mother never regained consciousness and this morning had fixed dilated pupils and a few hours later she died. An entirely preventable death. If you read this Heidi and Heli, you will not be surprised to hear of this outcome. All very sad.
You are never really alone in Ethiopia..... 
Word quickly gets out that there is a faranji in town and everyone comes to look at the strange sight.
Our fridge has broken down yet again and so today two men came to take it for repair. I’m not convinced that we will see it again for some time so will have to ask Clara if she can keep our much treasured cheese bought from Addis in her fridge for now.
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