A mother's grief is as timeless as her love. -Joanne Cacciatore
A friend shared her story about how she lost her baby through self medication with the hope that it help her forgive herself and let go. As well as to have people learn from her mistake.
It was going to be her second child. She was not on any family planning option because she was told it was against her Faith.
Her first child was barely up to a year when it all happened.
She had been feeling not right for days. She had headaches, fever and all round body ache associated with malaria. She thought it was malaria because that's the most common disease in this part of the world.
Typically here, when people feel they are going to fall ill, they go to a nearby drug store to buy malaria and typhoid medicine combined and when they take it, it often works. They bounce back to good health in matter of days and that was the case of my friend this time only that instead of getting better, she only felt worse.
It so bad that she was rushed to the hospital and admitted. The doctor later revealed that she was pregnant. But this time, the baby didn't make it.
She had taken malaria and typhoid drug when she actually didn't have any of the two. She was only pregnant and the drugs were too strong for her stage.
She was devastated and couldn't accept the fact that her ignorance made her loose a child that could have been her second.
For a very long time she held the guilt and was only able to finally let it go the day she shared this story with us.
No matter how convenient it is, avoid self medication. Its best you speak with a health practitioner first. May God help us.