Medical emergency leads to gift of life

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - When the Khan family arrived at the door of the Task Force Black Lions’ medical clinic, Forward Operating Base Orgun-E, Aug. 24, they expected the day to be one of tragedy.

As doctors from the 2nd Forward Surgical Team, from Fort Carson, Colo., operated on a pregnant Afghan woman to remove what they thought was a stillborn infant by cesarean section, they were greeted by the pleasant surprise of kicking feet.

“He is my first born son,” said Rosu Khan, the baby’s father. “I am very excited to have him here. I am very happy with all the doctors who helped us.”

The Khan family was visiting the Orgun-E area from their home near Gardez when the labor contractions began, Khan said.  

After hours of slowly advancing labor, the local hospital had been unable to find movement from the baby. Diagnosing that the baby had died, they requested assistance from the doctors at FOB Orgun-E.

“Honestly, it was very scary,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Stan Zagorski, surgeon with the 2nd FST. “I haven’t performed this procedure since I was an intern. Then to have the baby start kicking as we opened her up we were all overjoyed.”

“Delivering a baby by C-section is not typically what the FST is trained to do,” Zagorski continued. “Fortunately all the team members were able to contribute from their experience and both mom and baby will be going home healthy and happy.”

Happiness at the new arrival of baby Rusiz Khan permeated the air of the small clinic and was evident on the faces of both the medical personnel and the family.

As grandma Khan tended to mother and baby, Rosu Khan’s young sister, Jelah, was busy folding clothes and new baby blankets.

“When I first told her it was a baby boy,” said Spc. Jessica Rush, native of Marshall Ark., and advanced trauma life support medic with the 2nd FST, “she made this funny little face. I think she was hoping for a niece.”

With a new package of toys, Jelah received her own pleasant surprise to take home with her besides her unexpected nephew.

“It is so great, just the other day we received a package of handmade receiving blankets from our Soldier’s Angels sponsor, Laura Garrity,” said Rush. “We’ve already used them all for this little guy, so I’ll have to ask her to send more.”

“The items we receive from Soldier’s Angels and our sponsors back home really help us to better provide for the Afghans beyond what we are prepared to do medically,” Rush said.