Their Miracle Baby

Chapter 12

Malaria can be a cruel disease and the form that had its grip on Lewis was especially strong. Before she knew it, he was passed the point of evacuating him. Moving him would be too much of a strain on his body. She and Ronnie agreed that this wasn’t the normal strain that they usually saw.

Venetia took the blood slide she’d made and tried her best to identify the strain, but her microscope was just not powerful enough to give her a clear view. She’d have to find a way to get the sample back to civilization, at least a hundred miles from here. It would take time, and she felt that time was something they didn’t have a lot of.

Packing the slide in a shatter-proof box, she went to the center of the village in search of Lewis’ friends. When she found them and explained the situation, they immediately devised a plan to get the slide down the mountain and the medicine back up. A group was quickly formed and they left the village almost immediately.

Venetia used the satellite phone to call ahead and alert the hospital to their situation, and Venetia was introduced to the way things worked in the jungle. Later, she discovered that all along the way, people helped in the quest to save Lewis. From one village to the next, people donated vehicles, gasoline to power them, or simply prayed.

People from surrounding villages had also learned of Lewis’ condition and arrived in droves, food in hand to pray for his recovery. The first time Venetia saw them, she was stunned to tears at the love she felt. But no amount of love could cure Lewis, only the medication could do that.

Lewis had plummeted into a fever-induced delirium and no amount of medication could bring it down to a comfortable level. She’d been able to prevent more of that terrible shivering, but he was still senseless as his body fought the invader. Hour after hour, she bathed his face, feeding him a spoon full of water at a time, in an effort to keep his lips moist, but it was a losing battle.

By the time the slide with Lewis’ blood sample reached the lab, the fever had ravished Lewis, sapping him of even the strength to lift his head, and Venetia knew that another round of fevers might take the last of his strength and might be more than his body could handle.

She was becoming desperate, he was barely conscious and hadn’t spoken since the fever came down the last time. There was such a small window for his body to rest that she wanted more than anything else to give him some of her strength. But the best she could do was keep the fluids flowing and hope that he’d be able to gain some strength from that.

Sleeping beside him had proven to be the only way she could sleep. With her hand on his heart, her head on his chest, she could be sure that he was still with her. It also allowed her to monitor his temperature without getting up. Hour by hour, she laid that way, praying that the fever would stay away.

After two days of Lewis remaining unconscious, she began to lose hope. They’d tried all of Ronnie’s holistic treatments; some had helped Lewis to be more comfortable, but some had shown little effect. They’d heard nothing from the runners, and by now she should have heard something. Her exhaustion and despair was getting the best of her, nights of little sleep had drained her of her energy as well.

Ronnie finally put her foot down. “You have to get some real sleep. You just can’t go on like this. I want you to go to my tent and stay there until you’ve gotten some sleep. Then I want you to eat a huge meal. You’ll feel better,” she said, pushing Venetia out of the tent.

Venetia was exhausted, spots floating before her eyes as she stumbled to Ronnie’s hut. Some sleep was a good idea, and maybe when she woke up there would be word from the runners. She was out cold before her head hit the pillow, waking hours later, her stomach upset.

Stumbling out of the hut, she just made it to the trees behind the hut before what little she had in her stomach came pouring out. Shocked at the violence of her sickness, she stumbled to their hut, her thoughts going to Lewis immediately. As soon as she walked in the door, Ronnie was on her feet, helping Venetia to sit on the floor.

Her eyes went immediately to Lewis who was resting quietly, looking to Ronnie for information, her heart sank when she just shook her head no. “You don’t look any better than when I sent you out of here. Did you sleep?”

“Yes, I’ve been asleep this whole time, but I think I’ve pushed it too hard. My stomach is all messed up,” Venetia said, getting unsteadily to her feet to sit by Lewis.

“Let me look at you. I can’t have both of you sick,” she said, giving Venetia a quick physical exam. “Well, it’s nothing to be too worried about,” she finally said.

“What do I have? I can’t be sick with Lewis already sick,” Venetia said, panic filling her voice.

“Don’t worry. Your pregnant, that’s all,” Ronnie said with a big smile.

“But, I only…it’s only been a little over a month,” Venetia stammered.

“Well, I’d say that was long enough,” Ronnie said, patting her back. “I’ll give you a few minutes alone and then you need to eat something. I’ll put together a bag of herbs and plants for you, don’t forget your vitamins.”

Venetia sat stunned, her hand automatically reaching for Lewis’ limp one. She had no idea if he could hear her, but she’d learned that some people could remember people talking to them when they’d appeared unconscious. She laid down beside Lewis and placed his hand on her belly.

“Did you hear that? We’re going to have a baby. Our baby is growing inside me right now.” When she said it, it suddenly became real to her and tears threatened to come. Through sheer force of will, she managed to hold them back. “I need you to come back to me. I don’t want to do this on my own.” Then no longer able to control them, huge sobs came pouring out of her.