Hoping for a miracle…

Sheila was just a 7 year old kid.

I met her at San Lazaro Hospital, the Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine referral center for the Philippines. I had just arrived there to observe the practice of Infectious Diseases that are rare but important in the States – tetanus, bacterial meningitis, measles….

Sheila had come in for treatment, after experiencing difficulty swallowing at home. She was from Bulacan, a province in the southern part of Luzon.

Nine weeks earlier, she had been attacked by a dog. The dog had bit her on the right arm, and died a week later. Her mother had taken her to a local ‘herbalario’ because of the fear of rabies.

A herbalario is a practioner of ‘folk medicine’ and uses various herbs, incantations and concoctions to try and effect a cure. Although not formally trained in medicine, they are respected in their communities. Their rituals have a certain credibility, born out of an ingrained belief in the supernatural. Certainly, for some diseases, such as ‘coughs and colds’, a mentholated poltice or other vile remedy might actually work or ameliorate symptoms. Not for rabies though, which mandates appropriate medical treatment to prevent disease.

Rabies is 100% fatal, and any miscalculation can prove deadly.

Unfortunately, Sheila was showing the physical sign of hydrophobia. When she drank water from a cup, she recoiled with spasms of choking and reported chest pain. When I saw for myself this reaction, my heart sank because I knew she would die.

I looked at her – she seemed quite normal at this time. As is typical for rabies, patients can talk and interact almost right up until their death. Another cruel feature of the disease, since the patient knows what’s coming.

I wanted a miracle. I just couldn’t believe this precious 7 year old child was going to die within the next 24 hours. This was my third rabies patient in a week since I arrived.
It’s an awful feeling, as a doctor, to stand there and watch – my whole education and training unable to help.

There was no miracle to save Sheila. I wanted and needed a BIG miracle, but it was too late for Sheila. She died that next day. We did our best to keep her comfortable at least.
From that experience in the Philippines, the seed for Rabies Free World was planted. I wanted to do something to save those kids.

If you think you can help, please contact us.
RW