We are living in a brutal world
One thing is for sure, Martina John will never forget the call she received on Friday evening. “Come to the hospital quickly, a 10 year old hung himself.” Just minutes later the pediatrician is running through the door into the emergency room. The young boy is laying on a stretcher unconscious. His generalized seizures are an indication for the damage that the brain has suffered. What happened?
Emmerson and his siblings are growing up in a family where the father and mother drink a lot of Chicha. With increasing alcohol levels the abusive violence of the father increases. Then he starts beating the mother and the children. It doesn’t look good for this family. On Friday it climaxed tragically. The neighbors find Emmerson hung behind his house. His face is already purple. They cut the rope and bring him as fast as possible to the local health station. The on call nurse does the only right thing. She gives the patient oxygen and she organizes the transport to hospital Diospi Suyana.
Dr. Martina John reports in telegraphic style: “We are giving antiepileptic meds and fluids. The CAT scan of the head and cervical spine don’t show any fracture. Later at night Emmerson starts swinging his arms and knocking his head on the bed. We administer a sedative and pray. At seven in the morning he wakes up again. This time he can state his name and he even knows that he is in the hospital. But he doesn’t remember anything. A few hours later he is laughing with the nurses Marie and Farida. The police are investigating. Naturally, our psychologist will speak with Emmerson. It is a miracle that the boy is able to react normally. He has a second chance for a better life!”
