Sambaland

Commentary on my life in Brasil

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Death in Brazil

Last night, an 8 month old baby died. Could she have been saved? Well it's really too late to contemplate. This little girl's father repairs electrical equipment and her mother does not work. We would consider them to be poor. Was the health care they received adequate and timely? Was everything possible done to save the little one given the parents' economic circumstances? Were the doctors lying when they blamed the mother for moving the baby from the sun into a rather cold house and not bundling her up adequately? Does it matter? To me, I can't imagine how a chill could lead to water on the lungs, kidney failure, and death. How will that mother live with herself thinking she started it all. And really; did she? Or was it something more serious? The pregnancy was difficult, and the mother had a history of unsuccessful pregnancies. Could the problem have been more fundamental? A defect from (or before) birth? I hope they bother to do an autopsy so at least the mother can rest in peace.

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