We are happy to report that yesterday we helped save the life of a woman who had given birth but had a retained placenta.

The woman was rushed down to Popondetta Hospital in our ambulance and underwent emergency treatment.

We have since had it confirmed today that both mother and baby are both doing fine.

Great news for me, as a mother myself I could think of nothing worse than dying this way for something that can be treated if the patient can only make it to a hospital.

Excellent teamwork by all concerned. Firstly the nurse who raised the call. Russell's wife Rachael who located John Derrick Eroro to drive the vehicle and Russell and his wantoks for staying in Popondetta to escort the ambulance back to Kokoda due to the road conditions at the present time.

Reminds me of the time in Lae when one Saturday afternoon I received a phone call from Finschhafen saying a woman giving birth to twins could not deliver and she needed an airlift to Lae.

When I asked the young pilots who had all been up since 4:30 and who had knocked off and starting to have their first beers for the weekend…who wants to do a medevac? The looks on their faces and not one put their hand up.

I reminded them that one day it might be their sister, girlfriend or wife in the same situation and they would want her not to die. Quickly all three hands went up and they ended up drawing staws as to who would head off to the airport. The woman in question delivered twin boys and named each of them after the pilot by using both his two christian names.
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