Media.Knet.Ca

Honouring the mothers and their new babies was the theme for the Wednesday evening gathering at the Kejick Bay Health Centre in Lac Seul First Nation. Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telemedicine in partnership with the Lac Seul First Nation leadership and community members hosted this special event for the Chiefs of Ontario.

Delegates attending the Chiefs of Ontario assembly in Pelican Falls First Nations High School in Sioux Lookout travelled out to Kejick Bay after their long day of meetings. They loaded onto boats for a short boat ride over to Makwa Lodge. A feast of walleye, prepared by Lac Seul band members and Makwa Lodge staff, was shared with all the guests. From there, the guests travelled by boat over to the Kejick Bay Health Centre where they were given a tour of the new Health Centre.

Then the main event of the evening took place with the guests connecting via video conference with the parents and their new baby boy (Lenny) who were in the Mishkeegogamg Health Centre. The entire session was webcast and archived so everyone can watch it at http://streaming.knet.ca/Lac_Seul_Demo.wmv.

Stories are told across the north about the changes that took place in the northern communities when mothers began to leave their homes to deliver their babies in far away communities. There are still times when mothers and their families do stay in their community to deliver their babies. With the use of telemedicine, these two new babies, their families and their communities were able to celebrate these new lives and new beginnings at home.

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From WawatayNews.ca ...

Weather forces videoconference births - The miracle of birth occurs no matter what.
June 14, 2007: Volume 34 #12

On May 19, in two separate communities, two mothers-to-be found this out first hand.

In Kejick Bay on Lac Seul First Nation, rough weather prevented Kennifer Bottle from getting to Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout as she went into labour just before 2 a.m.

Later that morning, around 9 a.m, a mother in Mishkeegogamang went into premature labour. There was no time to get her to the nearest hospital in Sioux Lookout.
The baby had to be delivered there and then.

With no other option, the delivery of the babies would have to happen in the respective communities. With the aid of modern technology and a little human ingenuity, it was all made possible.

Back in Kejick Bay, Bottle was unable to be airlifted out of the community and it would be next to impossible to have her transferred by boat because of rough waters caused by inclement weather.

With no resident nurse in the community, family friend and former community health representative, Bertha Bottle, was called in to help with the situation. Rita Brisket, a prenatal educator, was also informed and she alerted two visiting Northern Ontario School of Medicine students and Const. Phillipe LaPorte of the Lac Seul Police Service.

The crew, along with parents, Bottle and Lewis Wesley, made their way to Obishikokaang Community Health Station where they contacted physicians at the emergency department of Meno Ya Win Health Centre.

After much difficulty explaining the situation to doctors over the telephone, it was decided it would be best to use the videoconferencing system through Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) Telemedicine Network.

Stephanie Kejick, community telemedicine co-ordinator, was called in at 2:00 a.m. to set up of the system.

“After realizing the reality of the situation, I became a bit nervous,” Kejick explained of arriving at the scene to assist with the videoconferencing hook up.

The nervousness didn’t go away as Kejick had difficulties hooking up the system. As a result, everyone had to move to another room where the system was working properly.

Once connected, the doctors in Sioux Lookout provided directions to the crew in preparing the room for delivery.

The room they were now in was too small so furniture had to be removed so there was room to operate.

“Half the team moved the furniture into the hall as the other half prepped the equipment and mother for the move,” Kejick said.

In Mishkeegogamang, Darlene Panacheese had just driven through bad weather and arrived home at 3 a.m. from Dryden, Ont. At 9 a.m., she got the call about the mother in labour.

Still half asleep and in her pajamas, Panacheese went to work setting up the telemedicine videoconferencing station.

As in Lac Seul, the nurses in Mishkeegogamang had trouble getting directions from the doctors on call in Sioux Lookout.

Again, it was decided to use the telemedicine system.

Afraid the workstation would fail her Panacheese went to work. Once set up, the doctor was able to assess the situation and provide direction to the two nurses.

At 11:18 a.m., Lenny Wassakeesic was born.

“It was amazing to see the doctor and nurses working together in delivering the baby,” Panacheese said of how the team communicated using videoconferencing.

However, earlier that morning, another baby boy took the honour being the first baby to be delivered using Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s Telemedicine Network.

At 3:48 a.m., Kraven Armadeus J. Wesley was born, weighing 5 pounds 1 ounce.

“After mother gave birth, I was so happy that baby and mother were fine and thankful there were no complications,” Kejick said.

In Mishkeegogamang, the reaction from the nurses was the same as the delivery of the baby went smooth.

“It was a very positive uplifting experience,” nurse Lorena Clace said afterwards.

Brent Wesley — brentw@wawatay.on.ca