Restful Weekend???

We had a restful weekend with no surgical cases, at least not at the time of this writing.  Saturday we took a walk down to the river with a few of the missionaries and walked across it.  It is very low at present as it is dry season.  Soon the rains will come and the river will rise about 8-10 feet.  It was actually a bit challenging and many of the rocks were slippery and not very flat.  We banged up our shins pretty good.

Later Saturday afternoon we (Jack, Justin and I) borrowed one of the vehicles and took a drive into town.  "Town" is Lebamba where there is a market and some tiny convenience stores.  There is one grocery store and also a market.  Not a whole lot to do so we just poked around and bought some food.

Saturday evening came along and I had a worm pulled out of my back.  For those weak in the stomach, I will not gross you out with the details or pictures.  Ask me about it when I return.  It's all good.....

Today we went to the local church and worshiped the same Almighty God as in the USA.  While I do not speak the language and could not understand the sermon, it was still a wonderful experience sharing this time with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

This afternoon we played some basketball with a few of the local youth and missionary kids.  It was a good time.

Restful Weekend???

It's Still About the Patient

We had a very busy week of surgical cases and now that it is Friday, I am exhausted.  It will be good to have a few days rest.  That is if there are no emergencies.  Most of the week, I found myself running between 3 different operating rooms managing and supervising 2 anesthetists, an anesthetist in training, and a surgical resident on the anesthesia rotation.  On occasion I did my own cases as well.  It was a great week with plenty of opportunities to teach and interact with trainees.  Sometimes I did find myself so busy and so focused on "getting the cases done" that I forgot about the patients.  Frequently this happens in the US where the "big machine" of healthcare gets in the way and we find ourselves simply moving the cases along without any connection to the patients.  Well, at times this is true here in Gabon.  Compounding this is the fact that I speak a different language and it is difficult to relate and show compassion through a translator.  That said, we do need to be efficient and move through the day or we would never get done.  There needs to be balance.

One such case helped gave me a quick reminder of why God has given me the opportunity to be a physician and how it all needs to be about the patient, wherever I serve.  I was called in to help my resident do a spinal block for a hernia repair on a young adult male.  I could tell when I entered the room that the patient was very anxious about this procedure.  On top of that, when he found out it was going to be done under spinal he got really nervous and started to verbalize his fright.  I helped the resident get prepared and then went around to the other side of the table to assist positioning the seated man for the spinal.  He immediately grabbed my hand and arm very tightly and started to pray.  I prayed with him.  He calmed down but did not let go of his tight grip on my arm.  After the resident completed the spinal, the man let go and thanked me.

A reminder that it is about the patient.

Trauma

Not unlike at the hospital I work at in the US, we had a late night trauma case.  It was a motorcycle/moped versus pedestrian collision and I believe alcohol was involved.  In Gabon they are seeing more and more trauma as the roads begin to get paved.  The drivers of cars and motorcycles now feel they can go faster because of the paving.  Of course, alcohol involvement doesn't help.

The pedestrian's leg was pretty banged up.  He had a compound fracture (bone sticking out) of his tibia and multiple lacerations of his face and head.  We took him to the operating room emergently to clean up and stabilize his leg--very similar to the US.  All went well.  God is good.

The motorcycle operator has multiple facial fractures and will likely need to go to the operating room for repair.  As you know, I am here with an oral surgeon, Jack Ewig, who sees and repairs facial trauma routinely.  He asked Keir, the lead missionary surgeon, if they see a lot of facial trauma like this and quite honestly he stated, "none over the past year or so."  While I wouldn't wish this trauma on anyone, isn't it like God to have an expert in place when it does happen.  It will afford the patient great care and it will be an excellent opportunity for teaching of the missionary surgeons and residents.  God is good.

Checklists

Jack and I left the Guest House in Libreville this morning and took a flight on the mission plane down to Bongolo this afternoon.  It was good to get settled in and meet new friends while reacquainting with old friends.  We had a wonderful dinner with the Thelanders followed by some much needed rest ahead of a busy week.

After we boarded the small, single engine plane and prior to take-off, the pilot ran through his checklist making sure the equipment was functioning and we were safe to travel to Bongolo.  I am sure he has done this checklist many, many times yet I could tell he took each step seriously and was not skipping any of them.  In my world of anesthesia we also have similar checklists, making sure our equipment is properly functioning and that we have all the various drugs and backup supplies needed in case of emergency.  While the pilot's checklist is more robust (probably because he is getting on the plane), the similarities are there.  It may seem ridiculous at times to go thru these checklists as it rarely uncovers a problem, but they are necessary to avoid serious events. It's like getting back to the basics for each flight or each case.

I wonder what life would be like if each of us ran through a mental checklist in the morning prior to heading out for the day. We may be able to handle better the "stuff" that life throws at us. Part of my morning checklist is spending time in prayer and reading my Bible. Helps me get focused. What's on yours?

Libreville Guest House

We had an uneventful trip from Cincinnati-Paris and Paris-Libreville.  All our bags and equipment made it without a problem.  Thanks for your prayers for safe and smooth travels.  We are staying at the Guest House (pictured above) in Libreville tonight and tomorrow we take a small plane down to the mission hospital in Bongolo.  That's a good reminder that we are guests on this trip.

We are looking forward to getting settled in, reconnecting with the missionary physicians, missionaries, nurses, anesthetists and surgery residents.  Thanks again for all your prayers.  I hope to update frequently.

Jeff

Whose Stuff is Important?

Well, tomorrow we set out for Bongolo.  As is the case with these trips, there is usually more stuff to pack than capacity will allow.  Over the years I have come to realize that I need less stuff, making more room for the needs of the mission trip and the missionaries.  I am reminded that this is a good life application and really not just about mission trips.  We should continually strive to simplify our lives and weed out the unnecessary "my stuff" (material possessions, mindless media, etc) and replace it with "God stuff".  Matthew 6:19-21

Getting Ready for Another Trip

God has given me another opportunity to serve Him and the people of Bongolo Hospital.  On September 20, I will be returning for a two-week visit to Gabon with Jack Ewig, an oral surgeon from Dayton, Ohio.  We will be helping support the mission of the hospital by teaching and training the PAACS residents and other health care workers as well as taking care of the patients with love and compassion.  It is exciting to return to Bongolo again.  Please pray for us.  Click on the above tabs for specific prayer requests and our itinerary.  To God be the glory.