Friday, August 26, 2011

A Box of Chocolates

So far I have done two laparotomies and was told that opening an  abdomen in Cameroon is like a box of chocolates....you don't know what you will get.  So true! 

My days are filled with many patients and I  think over half the ward is filled with wounds and fractures from motor vehicle accidents. My attempt at a shoulder reduction today was something else...patients present in their condition very late and  this 81 year old woman presented with two weeks of dislocation.

In the picture is little Yvette, an orphan. She is receiving physical therapy. She had an injured leg from a fall and then attempt was made by a traditional healer to fix it which caused severe compression sores. We have the wounds closed now and she is improving and hopefully will be well enough to start school.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Suitcases filled with hope, love, medical supplies, & other stuff

We've sorted through a garage full of supplies in hopes of finding what was specifically requested, or else making something similar.  We've ended up with two suitcases, total of 100lbs, for checked baggage and hope it gets put to good use.

Cherrish, my daughter (in the picture), and other friends were instrumental in getting the job done and Randy asked me last year  "Crystal when are you gonna move these supplies so I can get the car in the garage?" I said "When God tells me too", his reply "I sure hope he tells you by winter!"

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Getting Ready to Depart

I depart in one week and have not been able to prepare as much as I'd 
hoped due to boards and some time working on the Navajo Indian 
Reservation.
 
I've managed to gather some supplies requested by the Hakes who are 
already there. When watching the news and seeing the drought on the 
East continent I can't help but wonder if it moves West who will be 
left in need of a doctor? It reminds me of a physician who worked very 
hard for polio eradication in Africa: After a huge vaccination effort 
a village man went up to him and said that child you vaccinated, he 
thanks you now but wait...he will curse you later when he is hungry.

Lastly, several people have been asking why I have not taken a 
position in a hospital and instead go off to "The Dark Continent" my 
response is that of Mother Teresa who says: Everybody wants to be 
where people have the most where people can pay you and it's nice to 
live. It's all the other places nobody wants to go. It is these places 
I think as servants of our brothers and sisters we must go "Whatever 
you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to 
do unto Me".