My Week of Surgery

Last week a team of surgeons came down to the Hospital. We got to meet them and eat lunch with them and got to kind of know each other. My dad was out with a different team so he wasn't with us. On Monday night Mr. Sandy (the Director of the Hospital) asked my mom if she wanted to watch a surgery she said "Oh,............ well.... sure." Luckily, I was standing right there and I asked if I could watch a surgery to to see if I could handle it because I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up. Mr. Sandy said sure and I couldn't wait until the next day.



The next day I went to eat breakfast in the team dining room and I got to know the Anesthetist, Angela Jordan. We talk for a while and then they went to work. Around 11 AM my mom and I went into the hospital to watch what the team of surgeons were doing. We met Joann (the Director's wife) on the way and she asked my mom something and they went somewhere else.



I still wanted to watch a surgery. A doctor who graduated from the same high school my mom did helped me put on a gown and mask and cap. I walked into the OR and they were just finishing up a prostate. The head surgeon asked if I could help move a bed and, of course, I said sure. I moved the bed and helped put the man on a stretcher and moved the operating bed back. The head surgeon (Dr. Smith) asked if I wanted to actually scrub in on a case. I jumped at the question and said, "Of course!"

When I got all clean and sterile they said, "Stand over here and wait while we get this lady ready." When it was finally time to start I stood to the side and kind of waited for an instrument to hold for the surgeon. When they cut her open and started to cauterize I could not take it any more so I sat out for the rest of the time.

Then when the surgery was over I said thanks to the doctors and went to find my mom. She said for me to start packing up because we need to go back to the Zamorano Valley. Carmen and Anna got hurt (Carmen, Anna and Gabriel were staying at a friends house while we unpacked at the hospital). The next morning I asked the doctors if I could scrub in one more time before I had to leave with my mom. They said, "Of course, but go put on some scrubs first." This time I didn't sit out. When this surgery was done I went and asked my mom if I could please stay to help out the surgery team because a few people asked if I was going to stay. She talked with Sandy, the director of the hospital and he said, "Sure, I'd be happy for him to stay and work as long as he doesn't do surgery on me.":)

I stayed from Wednesday to Friday by myself and observed and helped with surgeries, helped Angela mix antibiotics, changed IVs, monitored pulse rates, oxygen, and blood pressure rates, and all that bloody stuff. I even translated some for one of the doctors.

All in all I scrubbed in on five cases and only sat out on one. It was awesome!!

I would like to thank Dr. Tommy Young, Dr. Dane Smith, Dr. Russ, and Angela Jordan epecially for letting me do this, I really had a great time!

Some Pictures and Highlights from our time with the Fairview/Jimmy Wright Team Aug. 8 - 15, 2009

Terry Williams and me at the airport when they arrived. We were so happy to see so many sweet familiar faces! What a blessing with which to begin our ministry here!!


The medical clinic--they saw around 2300 patients that week.


Tully, enjoying being "back in the saddle" again. His interpreter from the children's home began to tell patients, "Digale a él porque él habla español." "Tell him because he speaks Spanish."



The future church at Hospital Bautista--around 125 members who make up the current church meet twice weekly in a chapel area inside the hospital. The room is filled to overflowing.


Tully with Dr. Dane Smith and Rebecca Deal, a professor of Spanish at North Greenville University. Dr. Bob Osbon, DDS, is on the right.



All of us with the exception of Anna, in front of Hospital Bautista de Guaimaca. Anna was too busy playing to pose for a picture! : ) This was right before we had to say goodbye to the team--which was so hard!

Thank you, guys, for an awesome week--and a great kickoff to our ministry in Honduras! Words can't adequately express how much our family looked forward to seeing you all, spending time with you, and ministering with you!

Finally!

This Week:

Saturday, saying hello to so many friends on a BMDMI team from Greer--an incredibly special blessing

Telling Tully and Lynda (our fellow missionary we were staying with for two weeks) "goodbye" Sunday, as they went out with the team

Later Sunday, worship again at the children's home, then back to Lynda's to pack up our stuff and clean her house

Monday--move our things to Guaimaca, with four of our boys, a two hour trip, and unpack that day

Say hello to new friends from Greenville, SC -- the surgery team at Hospital Bautista

Computer trouble--can't get connected to the internet

Unpack more

Tour a school for the kids, meet several of the store owners in town. Take a trip to the little grocery store.

Get a phone call Tuesday night from our friends with whom the girls and Gabriel were staying: Carmen fell and hurt her arm

Anna fell and hurt her head

Surgery team still hard at work in the hospital when I turn out my lights Tuesday night after 10 pm.

Go back to Lynda's on Wednesday morning and pick up the girls and Gabriel from friends. Is her arm swollen or not? Yes, I think so. Poor baby, she cries when we go over the rocks on the road. Now I think it IS broken.

Wednesday night--no Tully, no Lynda, Carmen crying with her arm, Anna crying with her head (and mostly we're all really tired).

Okay, call Tully in distress Wednesday night, who calls Dwight and Margaret.

Thursday morning--load up the girls and Elijah and drive Lynda's car to Tegucigalpa. Meet Dwight and Margaret at the office, then Dwight rides with me to the hospital to have Carmen's arm checked out. Margaret takes Elijah and Anna to her house.

Yes, it's broken. : ( She was very brave, however, and was like a different little girl once she got her cast on.

Thursday afternoon--Dwight says he will send the bus to Guaimaca with us and all of our stuff and those of the team who want to see the hospital the next morning. Tully and Lynda are back with the team--can I say how happy I am to see him and how much I love him?!

More packing

Today--Sent Tully and the kids to eat breakfast with the team at the mission house. Cleaned Lynda's house, then Tully came and got me, we all loaded up the bus and rode to Guaimaca.

Took the group from Greer on a tour of the hospital. Said goodbye as they continued on and we stayed at the hospital. It was hard, and I was teary.

Now--finally--and there are four years worth of prayers and life tied up in that word, "finally" . . . we are all here together and have all of our stuff with us, and it's sort of unpacked. We are ready to hit the ground running with our ministry here. And . . . now we even have an internet connection. Fabulous!

Can't wait to see what God has in store for us tomorrow! : )


Boxes and trunks of surgical supplies line the hallway to the operating room, ready for the surgeons' use.


Shelton Hall and Gabriel--whenever he was around, the boys tagged along after him



Members of the team from Greer on their tour of the hospital grounds


Timothy, observing a surgery by Dr. Dane Smith of Greenville, SC


Oops! He got a little queasy and had to sit down for a few minutes. Afterwards, he helped some more that day, and was in the operating room or helping for the next two days. An invaluable experience and blessing that he will always remember!



Sweet Carmen with her cute purple cast


Wish I could say that's eye shadow on Anna, but it's not-it's the effects of her accident last week.
Praise God everyone is okay and things could have been much worse!

First pictures from Honduras

Luke's first glimpse of Honduras--checking it out from a bird's eye view



a little roadside tienda



A family cooling off and bathing in a river on the way to the children's home


A view of the beautiful Zamorano Valley from the chapel at the children's home



Tori, daughter of Greg and Eva Vaughn (directors of the children's home), showing something cool to one of the kids



Kevin McKenzie, grilling out without electricity--it was pitch dark and there was no electricity (the flash from the camera lit up the picture). The girls are holding a flashlight for him




Having fun in a tree at the Good Shepherd Children's Home



David, a precious boy who lives with Kevin and Julie



Trey making a friend at the children's home. Julie McKenzie's mom, Judy, and her friend, Mrs. Jan came for a 10 day visit. Judy is talking to Timothy.

Last Days in Costa Rica

Thursday night before we left Courtenay and Jacob Folk gave us a final pizza party--it was so much fun! (L to R: DeNiel Gillen, going to Dominican Republic, Darlynne Frederiks, returning to New Jersey to work with Hispanics there in street ministry, Courtenay, will be staying in Costa Rica, me, Trisha Lawrence (with our mission!) will be going to Honduras to work at the Children's Home, Leslie Schneider, going to Chile, and Shirley Cissell, staying in Costa Rica)


The morning that we left, Trey, Timothy, and Luke's friends, Rachel, Stephanie, and Josh came over at 7:30 am to say their goodbyes. Later, they were joined by Trisha and Kelly Lawrence, and Stephanie's mom, Leslie, who all helped out in whatever way they could to get us (and all of our bags) into the vans for the ride to the airport!





Stephanie Schneider with Carmen and Anna



Trisha and Kelly Lawrence with the girls



Our bags, packed, weighed, repacked, reweighed . . . well, you get the idea.



The gang over for a game of spoons and watching movies--they were together constantly, I think, for the last month.



Anthony Gillen and Tully



Anna and her buddy, Jacob Gillen. Even the little kids had to say goodbye to dear friends!






At the airport in San Jose--in a moment of chaos in getting all of our bags onto carts to be rolled into the airport. : )


Elijah with Cristian, one of the driver's that the students at ILE use--Elijah has enjoyed getting to know Cristian this year and rode with him a final time to the airport while Cristian drove our bags in his van.

Hola de Honduras!!

Well, we made it safe and sound and right on time today. Kevin and Julie McKenzie and their family had Greg and Eva Vaughn (directors of the Children's Home), their family, and us over for supper (and she says to say I'm still here trying to visit with her) at the Good Shepherd Children's Home.

The kids are thrilled--there are a zillion kids here running around. It is cool and comfortable--we brought the rain from Costa Rica with us as it hasn't rained in days and there was a downpour this afternoon.

I don't think it has hit us yet that we're finally here--maybe tomorrow? We are going to come here to the Children's Home for the worship service in the morning, then into Tegucigalpa to buy groceries for the week. : )

I've taken a bunch of pictures and can't wait to share them--but will post more later.

We love you all! Thank you for praying for us, and please continue to do so!