Steve Gets a Wife!

Good Monday Evening Everyone,

It is time for a celebration, Steve has landed a Ghanaian wife. Or so was the story at the hospital today. We had some clothing made by a local tailor, and I had a suit made like was worn by one of the previous long term docs here, basically an oversized set of scrubs that keep you very cool because they let plenty of air flow through. When I showed up at the hospital today, one of the translators said I should marry Lamisi, one of our other translators. She patted my stomach and Lamisi's shoulder and said, "the two fat ones." She thought this was hilarious as did everyone else, considering Lamisi has children who are over 18, and we are two of the more heavyset people here. It was a good laugh, and I hope you will think so, too. There are photos below.

Aside from some good laughs, we are doing well. Today was one of our busiest clinics. Jeremy and Jim saw a total of 130 patients in clinic today, and Michelle and I saw 98. I think this was probably the busiest day we have had so far. A surgeon arrived today, so we now have a little more capability to help patients, but only so far as we can use spinal or local anesthesia, unless you or anyone else really thinks biting a bullet is a true form of pain tolerance.

We finally had a day without a death on the peds ward last night. However, the same may not hold true tonight. Jeremy admitted a 6 yo girl with a snake bite (remember we have no anti-snake venom) 3 days ago, was taken to a local healer who made many cuts on her ankles and arms to let the toxins out. Now, however, she is here with bleeding from all these sites, because the snake venom inhibits your clotting system. She will probably be needing a tetanus shot, too if she survives. In discussing snake bites, we have also learned there is a black market for snake venom. Apparently if you know the right people, and have the correct cash amount, you can get anti-snake venom. The translator would not ask how much it cost for us, but we hope to find out tomorrow. There is word we may get a few vials in the next few days from Accra, but that is still pending.

We have taken several photos in the past few days, so a few of those are below. We just haven't really had time to edit them and post them. We included 10 of the best below. No worries, no gross medical pictures are on here.

We hope everyone is well at home, and ask for your continued prayer as we work through this final week here. The hospital is in a real time of stress and need, and we just hope our efforts will be a blessing to them. We look forward to talking to everyone soon.

Love,
Steve


Steve with Lamisi. She always smiles, except when she is in front of the camera. She is an excellent translator and has been a blessing to work with.















Steve, Jeremy and Enabong (an OB resident from Canada) with their attire made from the Ghana Health Service fabric. This took a little effort, but it was worth it.









Steve rounding on the peds ward.













Jeremy rounding on the men's ward.













Steve resuscitating a 34-week old child in the OR following a C-section. Although we had a lot of concern prior to the surgery, the baby did very well after a few minutes of support, and went home a few days ago after she learned to suck well enough to gain weight.














Steve with a 3-year-old who had a head laceration after falling into a concrete ditch. His parents own the local gas station where we buy soda and fruit juice. Although he was numbed very well, while being held down for the sutures (all 7 of them) he screamed, "You are killing me!" in the local dialect. The father found it very funny.

Steve with Majeed. This is the young man was fell off the truck and required the many hours of suturing. He has just finished getting his sutures out. With the exception of a little wound ont he side of his forhead, everything has healed very well.

Jeremy eats some charcoal cooked corn at the local market. Cost less than 50 cents.

Jeremy eats peas. We have them quite often, so he gave them a try, and didn't have any major
breakdowns or flashbacks to childhood.

The tiny Falani (one of the local tribes) Church we attended on Sunday. It was so small I hit my head on the doorway. There were probably 10 local people, plus 8 or 9 of us there, and it filled the building. There was a church next door (not sure what type) whose members were having some fun with their speakers and amplifiers.







That's all for tonight!

Steve