The Lady With Three Diseases

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And this year's prize for the best attitude in the worst circumstances goes to Elis.

I met her just a few weeks ago. She had been a patient on the maternity ward. When she was admitted there it was discovered that she was HIV positive. She gave birth to an apparently healthy baby, but she developed a severe cough, caused either by tuberculosis or by an AIDS-related infection called PCP. Then she developed right-sided weakness, probably caused by a stroke. She was transferred to the medical ward, where I took care of her. Despite this awful turn of events, she remained cheerful and pleasant. She is 20 years old.

We have a visiting physical therapist, Patty Batdorf, and she began working with Elis. Through it all, Elis was cooperative, and gave a strong effort at getting up and walking.

Elis was discharged 2 weeks ago on TB treatment as well as anti-retroviral therapy, and returned today for follow-up. She was happy and cheerful as always. She has gained strength, and her cough has resolved. Her chest x-ray was completely normal.

Patty joined us in the exam room to assess her progress walking and regaining use of her right hand.

In the exam room it's easier to discuss personal details than it is on the ward. I asked Elis about her marriage. She and her husband are still married, although her husband is the one who gave her HIV. Also, it would not be unusual for a man here to reject a wife with debilitating medical problems, just because she cannot fulfill the practical duties of a wife, gardening, cooking, laundry, etc. She doesn't know what the future holds in this regard, but for the moment she and the baby are living with her parents.

Then I asked a question that I have often wanted to ask, but haven't usually been brave enough to ask. After first determining that her husband makes no profession of being a Christian, and that her parents are Christians, I asked why her father would have allowed (I assumed that he'd probably arranged) a marriage to a non-Christian man. Elis immediately jumped to her father's defense; "Oh, it's not Papa's fault! It's my own fault. I did what I wanted, and ran away with this man. Papa didn't make me marry him."

I felt a little embarrassed for making what may have seemed like an accusation, but Elis and her mother both put me at ease with a laugh and a smile. I couldn't help adding, "I guess this is why it's good for us to obey our parents." Again, that soft laugh and, "yes."

We prayed together, Elis, her mama, Patty and I; prayed for her healing, for strength and wisdom, for her husband, that he'd come to Christ, and that he'd step up and be a good husband. Please join us in praying.