Dear All,
First, thanks to those who have followed along and, more importantly, prayed. This has been a powerfully impacting 30 days and I have been touched by your words of encouragement, directed by your Scripture references and lifted by your prayers. I am indebted to you all.
This week has been the busiest and had to the potential to be brutal. But, by His grace and kindness of His people, it has worked out well. I mentioned previously general medicine night call is when I am at greatest risk to be stretched physically and where I am least prepared medically. I was only assigned 5 nights the whole month. But, because of how they were scheduled and my need to trade a date so I could leave tomorrow, 4 of those 5 nights were during the last 8 days including Thu and Fri of this week. Well, one of the national docs mentioned on Tue she had a light call schedule so would be glad to take my Thu call. Well, because of a combination of macho and a realization part of the reason I was here was to allow the nationals and missionaries a little break from their usual schedule, I politely declined her offer. Then came Thursday. At 6:30 PM while eating dinner, I got a call about the first medicine admission- 43 yo female, newly diagnosed HIV, now with miliary tuberculosis and acute meningitis- and there's no Infectious Disease doc to call, you're it here! I gave the intern some preliminary orders and said I'd be right there. but, before I could leave the building, I got a call from Dr. Matilda saying she was just happened to be in Casualty (ER) and heard about this patient. Since she was there, is the ward attending and would be assuming responsibility for the patient in the morning, she said she would take care of the admission. And, she noted I not only had three calls this week but there were two in a row and she absolutely could not allow me to do that. She insisted she take call for me that night. Deny a gracious request like that twice? I may be proud but I'm no fool.
That allowed me to pack and get a good night's sleep last night. I'm on call now but even if we get busy, I'm packed and I'll have the long car ride tomorrow to Nairobi and an even longer flight leaving tomorrow night to rest up. God through His people help those who need help! What a sweet kindness to end my time here.
Let me go back and show you some pictures of Tenwek. If any of you have an interest in reading about modern missionaries and some of the miracles God continues to perform, I encourage you to read, Miracle at Tenwek, by Gregg Lewis. It's the story of how this missionary outpost began a clinic with nurses in the 1930's finally recruiting it's first physician, Dr. Ernie Steury, in 1959. The book is primarily about Dr. Steury and how he and others by God grace have transformed this into the premier mission hospital in Kenya and among the best in Africa. Dr. Steury was the only doctor for 10 years, then one of two for an additional 10 years. With only an internship for post doc training and no surgical residency, he learned how to deliver an amazing spectrum of services, including brain surgery! It's an incredible story of faith, perserverence, hard work and, most clearly, the providence of God. A great read. I'll put my copy in the GEC library next week.
The missionary docs here are also phenomeonal. Russ White, fully trained chest surgeon does it all. Removed a brain tumor yesterday. Their families are equally impressive. Lots of stories to share.
But, before it gets too late and/or I get called to go to Casualty or Theatre (O.R. where they do endoscopy at night) let me get some photos up for you. Because of slow internet, may finish in AM but will get them out before I leave in the morning.
Whoops, just realized I signed on with wrong browser and can't get pictures.
Let me post this and change over to post pix.
Love ya',
Ed
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