He had a small sore on his leg, just a scratch, a mere nick in the skin. Had he lived in the Western world he would have just ran to his mother and the two of them would have headed to the bathroom sink to wash off the blood and apply a Snoopy band-aid. The sore would have healed within days…
Instead, he lived in Africa… The pinpoint sized cut didn’t heal; it got infected and increased in size. Unsure what to do about the infection growing in their son’s leg; his parents took him to the local traditional healer-witch doctor. The witch doctor poured a boiling liquid on the little boy’s fragile, infected skin. Now, on top of infection, the little boy had deep burns to his right leg that eventually healed, but healed but with the skin in a contracted form. The burns disfigured the little boy’s right leg, making it impossible to run, play, or walk without crutches; a small, innocent abrasion, changing forever the hopes and dreams of a little Sierra Leonean boy.
That little boy made it to the Mercy Ship. He underwent two surgeries last week to clean up one of the chronic infections that he has dealt with in his leg every since the original scratch showed up. On his third surgery, the skilled plastic surgeon’s gently released the contracted skin that had been holding his leg hostage, in a locked position; they grafted healthy skin to cover up the skin that he had lost.
Such a brave little boy, three surgeries in one week! Anyone else undergoing the type of surgery he had would have been in intense pain requiring a narcotic drip or pain pump, he barely made a peep, his pain controlled with mere Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and an occasional tablet of Codeine. He sat contently in his corner bed coloring pictures of African animals. Who would have known that cheetahs and frogs are actually 12 different colors? He was so polite and would laugh and laugh as his crazy nurses danced around the ward during ward worship time.
After surgery he got a fever, but it was less than 24 hours post-operatively, too soon for a surgical infection, could this little boy who had been through so much already, have malaria as well? The lab smear-viewed and partially diagnosed by myself, declared he indeed had malaria. Anti-malaria treatment started, but the fevers didn’t subside. A few days later vomiting, diarrhea, and massive bleeding from his right leg started. Emergently, we rushed him back to surgery; our plastic surgeon and general surgeon worked for hours attempting a vascular surgery- a venous graft from his left leg to where an arterial bleed had started in his right leg. The rest of our general surgical cases had to be cancelled for that day.
While the surgeons began another hour of surgery on our little patient from the corner bed, I gathered the nurses on the ward once again to pray for the surgeons, the little boy’s family, our little Sierra Leonean patient, and for all the patients whose surgeries had to be put on hold because of the emergency. We remembered how in history, Jesus had cured a woman who had been bleeding for years, of course, God could cure our patient that had been bleeding for a few hours. God carried our little man through surgery. His bleeding stopped; we gave him a few units of blood, one from the very anesthetist that managed his respiratory and fluid balance status while his fragile body was asleep. We cared for him in the ICU and prayed fervently that his leg would be okay, that blood flow would be sustained, and that he would heal quickly. Our little Sierra Leonean patient woke up from the grueling surgery, smiled, and all he asked for was a balloon.
A few days have passed since our little patient’s miracle surgery, but he isn’t doing well. His leg has lost blood supply and in a matter of minutes he will be returning to surgery for an above the knee amputation of his right leg. He didn't ask for any of this...He didn't ask for infection, He didn't ask for burns, He didn't ask for malaria, He didn't ask for surgical complications....All he asked for was a balloon...And all I ask of you... on his behalf... is that you pray....
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Africa Mercy Easter Celebration 2011
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| He died for you...Will you now live for Him??? |
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| ...Amazing grace how sweet the sound... |
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| ...Jesus, thank-you for the cross... |
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| ...Love so amazing...so divine...demands my life...my heart...my all... |
International Nurse's Day 2011
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| ...Our current nurses on the Africa Mercy are from ALL over the World... A few of the countries we are from include... America, Canada, Australia, New Zeland, South Korea, Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, England, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Germany, & Belgium!!! Different countries, different backgrounds, different nursing styles, but our heartbeat is the same... to see HIS name glorfied as we aim to bring hope & healing to the people of Sierra Leone!!! |
...Orthopedic Ward- Part of the Ortho Team...
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| Ortho Ward- Sierra Leone decorations & birthday banner the patients made for our physical therapist being displayed... |
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
...Happy Independence Day Sierra Leone...
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| ...Daniel, one of our amazing translators, & me displaying an Independence Day Scarf-Banner that was given to me (a gift from a patient)... |
...i won't let my love grow cold...
It's been far too long since I last wrote… I do feel horrible about that…but let me give you a general overview of life in the last 4 weeks…
I was sick…along with many other crew members…So many of the crew were plagued with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, that the captain ordered a mandatory “diarrhea” survey to be completed by all crew members, to determine the cause of the diarrhea outbreak ( a small scale epidemiological study- I really wanted to help count the data and look at the trends causing all the “crap” and use my knowledge from my tropical disease class to help solve the “diarrhea disaster”, but I didn’t have enough free time to volunteer to help in the epidemiological study). The results from the study are still pending, but with prayer, increased hand-washing, prayer, and more prayer, the “poopy” situation has improved.
I took worm medicine…felt better for a few weeks, worked too much…and have felt totally tired again, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Our water situation has improved. Restrictions were lifted shortly after all of you started praying after my last update. We did not have to cancel any surgeries; we acquired drinking water, were able to resume normal water requiring functions on the ship, and we had enough water during the “diarrhea disaster” to flush toilets to our hearts content!
I have been feeling tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
The power and air-conditioning on the ship have been cutting in and out many times in the last month. The port we are currently sitting in is filthy! Although I have a coveted window in my cabin on the ship, the view out my window is less than exciting. What I see is far from a tropical paradise, with crystal clear water, instead all I see is wave after wave of trash, rubbish, plastic bags, medical waste, an occasional wooden fishing boat, and innumerable objects of filthiness floating past! All of the filthy debris has managed to repeatedly clog the ventilation and engineering systems on the bottom- outside of the ship, resulting in power outages and blocks in the ventilation on the ship! Our ship divers have been working daily and hourly to keep the ship in operation. In past outreaches, being on the dive team was a side-job, requiring only a few hours of volunteering per week, this outreach; diving has become a fulltime job & we are in an urgent need of more divers. I cannot promise views of tropical fish or coral reefs to would-be-potential divers, but I can promise adventure, so if you know any certified divers that are crazy enough to come to Sierra Leone to dive in E-coli infested water… for His glory…send them my way.
I have been working too much…I am tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Sierra Leone celebrated 50 years of independence! The patients decorated the ward with paper chains in the colors of the Sierra Leone flag; we wore blue & green scrubs in honor of the celebration, and went all out in craziness, celebrating Independence Day with our patients & translators!
I got sick again, spent more time in bed, on the toilet, and near a bucket, didn’t eat a real meal in over 72 hours… and felt tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Jesus is RISEN! He is RISEN indeed! I celebrated my second Easter onboard the Africa Mercy! It was a special week, reflecting on God’s incredible passion & love demonstrated in Christ’s death & resurrection!
Many crew members and nurses have had to suddenly leave because of unforeseen circumstances at home. Two of my nurses left and upon their arrival home, their beloved mother passed away. Another one of my ICU nurses was life-flighted home because of cardiac arrhythmias. Our receptionist hurried home because her father became ill, upon her return home, he passed away. Three crew members’ grandparents have passed away. And our phlebotomist just had to rush home this past week because of an ill family member.
Orthopedic surgeries for the 2011 Sierra Leone outreach are officially finished. My last little casted children are being discharged home with brand new legs and the ward beds are filling up with plastic surgery patients.
I have been tired…I have been too tired to write… My perfectionism has kept me from writing because all my creative juices are gone and I hate to post updates when I have no creativity. I have been too tired to go to the beach or to explore Sierra Leone on my days off. I haven’t gone off the ship since Easter. In the past month, I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone outside, even though, outside is only a few steps away every day.
May 12th we celebrated international nurse’s day! I love being a nurse!
God is my strength…an ever present help…when so much goes wrong..or not the way one may have planned..it is tempting to give up…to stop caring…to throw in the towel...A book I like to refer to daily says “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…” (Matthew 24:12) Caring hurts…Loving people always involves risk…Human nature says to self protect…and in this protective mechanism, we may let our love grow cold… we may start looking out for number one…But I declare…that I will refuse to let my love grow cold…in the heat, when I am tired, with stomach cramps, without showers, when things happen that I don’t understand, in the dark without electricity…I won’t let my love grow cold… I have been working…maybe working too much…and that has made me tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
I was sick…along with many other crew members…So many of the crew were plagued with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, that the captain ordered a mandatory “diarrhea” survey to be completed by all crew members, to determine the cause of the diarrhea outbreak ( a small scale epidemiological study- I really wanted to help count the data and look at the trends causing all the “crap” and use my knowledge from my tropical disease class to help solve the “diarrhea disaster”, but I didn’t have enough free time to volunteer to help in the epidemiological study). The results from the study are still pending, but with prayer, increased hand-washing, prayer, and more prayer, the “poopy” situation has improved.
I took worm medicine…felt better for a few weeks, worked too much…and have felt totally tired again, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Our water situation has improved. Restrictions were lifted shortly after all of you started praying after my last update. We did not have to cancel any surgeries; we acquired drinking water, were able to resume normal water requiring functions on the ship, and we had enough water during the “diarrhea disaster” to flush toilets to our hearts content!
I have been feeling tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
The power and air-conditioning on the ship have been cutting in and out many times in the last month. The port we are currently sitting in is filthy! Although I have a coveted window in my cabin on the ship, the view out my window is less than exciting. What I see is far from a tropical paradise, with crystal clear water, instead all I see is wave after wave of trash, rubbish, plastic bags, medical waste, an occasional wooden fishing boat, and innumerable objects of filthiness floating past! All of the filthy debris has managed to repeatedly clog the ventilation and engineering systems on the bottom- outside of the ship, resulting in power outages and blocks in the ventilation on the ship! Our ship divers have been working daily and hourly to keep the ship in operation. In past outreaches, being on the dive team was a side-job, requiring only a few hours of volunteering per week, this outreach; diving has become a fulltime job & we are in an urgent need of more divers. I cannot promise views of tropical fish or coral reefs to would-be-potential divers, but I can promise adventure, so if you know any certified divers that are crazy enough to come to Sierra Leone to dive in E-coli infested water… for His glory…send them my way.
I have been working too much…I am tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Sierra Leone celebrated 50 years of independence! The patients decorated the ward with paper chains in the colors of the Sierra Leone flag; we wore blue & green scrubs in honor of the celebration, and went all out in craziness, celebrating Independence Day with our patients & translators!
I got sick again, spent more time in bed, on the toilet, and near a bucket, didn’t eat a real meal in over 72 hours… and felt tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Jesus is RISEN! He is RISEN indeed! I celebrated my second Easter onboard the Africa Mercy! It was a special week, reflecting on God’s incredible passion & love demonstrated in Christ’s death & resurrection!
Many crew members and nurses have had to suddenly leave because of unforeseen circumstances at home. Two of my nurses left and upon their arrival home, their beloved mother passed away. Another one of my ICU nurses was life-flighted home because of cardiac arrhythmias. Our receptionist hurried home because her father became ill, upon her return home, he passed away. Three crew members’ grandparents have passed away. And our phlebotomist just had to rush home this past week because of an ill family member.
Orthopedic surgeries for the 2011 Sierra Leone outreach are officially finished. My last little casted children are being discharged home with brand new legs and the ward beds are filling up with plastic surgery patients.
I have been tired…I have been too tired to write… My perfectionism has kept me from writing because all my creative juices are gone and I hate to post updates when I have no creativity. I have been too tired to go to the beach or to explore Sierra Leone on my days off. I haven’t gone off the ship since Easter. In the past month, I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone outside, even though, outside is only a few steps away every day.
May 12th we celebrated international nurse’s day! I love being a nurse!
God is my strength…an ever present help…when so much goes wrong..or not the way one may have planned..it is tempting to give up…to stop caring…to throw in the towel...A book I like to refer to daily says “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…” (Matthew 24:12) Caring hurts…Loving people always involves risk…Human nature says to self protect…and in this protective mechanism, we may let our love grow cold… we may start looking out for number one…But I declare…that I will refuse to let my love grow cold…in the heat, when I am tired, with stomach cramps, without showers, when things happen that I don’t understand, in the dark without electricity…I won’t let my love grow cold… I have been working…maybe working too much…and that has made me tired, but I won’t let my love grow cold…
Sunday, April 10, 2011
...the long & the short of it...
LONG- I have been working very LONG days and shifts lately. This past week I worked about 70 hours in a 5 day period. Yikes!
SHORT-This past Wednesday the captain informed the crew that we are once again experiencing a water SHORTage. The captain asked us to ration water and limit the use of water to only essential needs. The crew laundry room was closed. We started using disposable dishes in the dining room. We stopped changing bed linen in the hospital unless it was very soiled or a new patient was coming in. We covered all the shower heads in the hospital bathrooms with plastic bags and have implemented having our patients take bucket baths instead of showers. We were reminded once again to be taking true “ship-showers” which involves getting wet, shutting off the water, soaping up & applying shampoo, turning the water on to rinse off the soap, turning the water off, then applying conditioner, then running the water one last time to get the conditioner out. A process that SHOULD limit water use to less than 2 minutes total per crew member, per shower. (Because of my long shifts, & being too tired to shower, I personally haven’t washed my hair in a week, scarves work just fine& I have had baby-wipe showers since Tuesday. I was hoping for a longer shower this weekend, using a few of the minutes I didn’t use during the week, but that won’t be happening). We closed down part of Starbucks because it takes too much water to wash the blenders and coffee making devices (I don’t drink coffee anyway and cannot fathom drinking a hot drink when it is hotter than Hades outside, so this cutback hasn’t hurt my feelings too much, but I have some co-workers who seriously need their coffee every day, so this could be an issue). We were informed that when all the water sloshed out of the swimming pool that it would not be filled again. (I have dreamed of using the swimming pool, but have been too tired even on my days off to walk the 5 flights of stairs that would lead me to the swimming pool that is made out of shipping containers and sits on top of the ship, so even if I had the energy, I guess I won’t be using it anytime soon). We also started the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow & if it’s brown flush it down” motto.
With all these cutbacks we hoped that we would have enough water to continue surgical operations, run the sterilizer, cook, and maintain adequate amounts of water to drink. The captain requested more water trucks to come to the ship- knowing that even if water was delivered we would still need to ration water because it takes up to 72 hours to treat the water we receive to make it clean enough to use.
The water didn’t come. And even with all the cutbacks mentioned above, somehow we consumed 15% MORE water on Thursday and Friday than last year at the same time, on a busy day, with ALL usage of water permitted. Yesterday, the captain closed the crew galley, we are no longer allowed to wash personal dishes, or bake on our own, because this requires water usage. The galley won’t be allowed to serve lettuce & other fresh vegetables because it takes too much water to wash and clean them. The water supply to the showers was cut off. All hot water was shut off. We are trying to supply enough water to flush the toilets and wash our hands. The captain is looking at different ways to supply water to the ward and the captain is looking to see if there is a leak or if we are losing water somewhere. We are praying that we receive a water delivery, but were told that the sources that may deliver water are not as reliable as normal and the water we receive may be dirtier than normal, requiring more time to treat it and make it safe to use. ALL that to say- we are SHORT off water: please pray.
LONG- My orthopedic patients are getting LONGer legs & arms as we provide surgeries to straighten what was crooked, to re-align what was out of line, & to stretch what has been curved. I love my patients!
SHORT- I am not the only one working overtime, many of the other hospital managers are working crazy hours too. Tempers & patience may soon be running SHORT: please pray.
LONG- I LONG for God to continue filling me with his strength, wisdom, energy, patience, love, gentleness, kindness, goodness, and passion to continue serving the people of Sierra Leone!
SHORT-This past Wednesday the captain informed the crew that we are once again experiencing a water SHORTage. The captain asked us to ration water and limit the use of water to only essential needs. The crew laundry room was closed. We started using disposable dishes in the dining room. We stopped changing bed linen in the hospital unless it was very soiled or a new patient was coming in. We covered all the shower heads in the hospital bathrooms with plastic bags and have implemented having our patients take bucket baths instead of showers. We were reminded once again to be taking true “ship-showers” which involves getting wet, shutting off the water, soaping up & applying shampoo, turning the water on to rinse off the soap, turning the water off, then applying conditioner, then running the water one last time to get the conditioner out. A process that SHOULD limit water use to less than 2 minutes total per crew member, per shower. (Because of my long shifts, & being too tired to shower, I personally haven’t washed my hair in a week, scarves work just fine& I have had baby-wipe showers since Tuesday. I was hoping for a longer shower this weekend, using a few of the minutes I didn’t use during the week, but that won’t be happening). We closed down part of Starbucks because it takes too much water to wash the blenders and coffee making devices (I don’t drink coffee anyway and cannot fathom drinking a hot drink when it is hotter than Hades outside, so this cutback hasn’t hurt my feelings too much, but I have some co-workers who seriously need their coffee every day, so this could be an issue). We were informed that when all the water sloshed out of the swimming pool that it would not be filled again. (I have dreamed of using the swimming pool, but have been too tired even on my days off to walk the 5 flights of stairs that would lead me to the swimming pool that is made out of shipping containers and sits on top of the ship, so even if I had the energy, I guess I won’t be using it anytime soon). We also started the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow & if it’s brown flush it down” motto.
With all these cutbacks we hoped that we would have enough water to continue surgical operations, run the sterilizer, cook, and maintain adequate amounts of water to drink. The captain requested more water trucks to come to the ship- knowing that even if water was delivered we would still need to ration water because it takes up to 72 hours to treat the water we receive to make it clean enough to use.
The water didn’t come. And even with all the cutbacks mentioned above, somehow we consumed 15% MORE water on Thursday and Friday than last year at the same time, on a busy day, with ALL usage of water permitted. Yesterday, the captain closed the crew galley, we are no longer allowed to wash personal dishes, or bake on our own, because this requires water usage. The galley won’t be allowed to serve lettuce & other fresh vegetables because it takes too much water to wash and clean them. The water supply to the showers was cut off. All hot water was shut off. We are trying to supply enough water to flush the toilets and wash our hands. The captain is looking at different ways to supply water to the ward and the captain is looking to see if there is a leak or if we are losing water somewhere. We are praying that we receive a water delivery, but were told that the sources that may deliver water are not as reliable as normal and the water we receive may be dirtier than normal, requiring more time to treat it and make it safe to use. ALL that to say- we are SHORT off water: please pray.
LONG- My orthopedic patients are getting LONGer legs & arms as we provide surgeries to straighten what was crooked, to re-align what was out of line, & to stretch what has been curved. I love my patients!
SHORT- I am not the only one working overtime, many of the other hospital managers are working crazy hours too. Tempers & patience may soon be running SHORT: please pray.
LONG- I LONG for God to continue filling me with his strength, wisdom, energy, patience, love, gentleness, kindness, goodness, and passion to continue serving the people of Sierra Leone!
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