My Summer Vacation

Writing this, I feel a little bit like a elementary school child.  At the beginning of each year, almost every teacher requires the students to write a "what I did on summer vacation" report.  In kindergarten, you get to write a sentence and draw a picture.  By fifth grade, you have a one page, typed report due on day 3 of class.

Though the hospital was on vacation, I was not.

Joe and I were asked to be the Advance Team Durban.  Basically, we arrived on 13 May to Durban in order to prepare the way for the ship to safely and legally enter the country.  We had meetings with Customs, Immigration, Port Authority, and Dormac shipyard, to name a few.  We had people from 30 different nations on the ship, sailing in.  Those from certain nations require a visa prior to travel.  The majority of nations, however, were able to get a 60 or 90 day visa upon arrival.  For instance, those from the US just show up in South Africa and are granted a 90 day visitor visa.  Those from Sierra Leone would get deported if they tried to do so.  In fact, our entire ship would not be allowed to dock if any individual needing a visa did not have one.

When we did not have meetings, Joe and I worked mostly out of the Mugg and Bean at the local mall since our internet at the guest house was incredibly slow on the rare days the computer detected a signal.  Mugg and Bean is the South African Starbucks - only with more menu options.  But many people meet up for coffee there.

To be honest, it was difficult.  But I loved it.  I love South Africa.  I had not spent time in Durban before, and it is unlike the other South African cities I have been to.  There is a large Indian population so there is a lot of curry - good curry.

The ship did arrive on 15 June as scheduled.  There was some worry as to whether it would leave Madagascar on time - a small whole was found in the chain locker a few days before sailing.  Our Deck and Engineering Departments worked together to temporarily patch the whole.  A permanent fix was completed here in Durban.  In fact, a number of repairs have been completed.

However, the propeller is still undergoing repairs, but according to the latest news, we should be back in Madagascar at the end of the month.

I have been acting as Operations Assistant since the ship pulled in.  Basically, the job is about 50% Advance Team and 50% Transportation.  Although our time as "Advance Team" ended once the ship arrived, Joe and I had made the various contacts and we have been called upon to use those contacts as needed.  For instance, Joe and I located a company that repairs commercial floor cleaners.  Once the ship arrived, we scheduled maintenance and transportation of the cleaners.  Random, right?

There are about 250 crew on board now - many people returned at the end of July in anticipation of sailing out.  We were supposed to sail out in the first few days of August, so we have been delayed a few weeks.  The ship has gone from a ghost town (about 130 crew) to a bustling city of twice that many.  There are a lot of extra nurses floating around doing extra jobs, similar to how I worked in the galley last year at this time.

Thank you for the support we have received during this crazy time.  Shipyard has been an interesting experience, but I am ready to get back to Madagascar - back to the patients.

Wonky Bones

Our orthopedics program is nearly completed.  Though the surgeries were done during the first six weeks of our time in Madagascar, the patients have only started to be "healed."  The bones take many months to heal during which time the patients are in casts.  The casts are changed several times throughout the months.  For most operations, the patient must be less than 17 years old since adult bones take longer to knit back together.  Adults require longer medical care, and we are not in country long enough to oversee the medical care.  Neither are we are able to ensure adequate care from local doctors.  This is not a slur against local doctors, we simply do not have the time to determine if the doctor is adequate nor do they keep detailed records of past surgeries.

The surgeries performed help individuals look normal, but also restore normal function to the limbs.  The following are some of the most common surgeries performed on the Africa Mercy.  I have also included before and after pictures of patients who have undergone the specific surgery.

BOWED LEGS:
Bowed legs can occur for several reasons.  The most common reason in Africa is Rickets, which is bone disease due to lack of calcium and Vitamin D in the diet.  Most often both legs are affected though not always.

Erissa before:

 

Erissa after:

 

Delias before:

 

Delias after:

 

Louianah before:

 

Louianah after:

 

Wendy before:

Wendy after:

Mikael before:

 

Mikael after: (pictured here in in a partial weight bearing cast…the blue bandages around the cast protect "windows" that are cut into the cast to give us access to the pins placed into the leg which are later removed)

 Tonny before:

 

Tonny after: (His now straightened left leg makes his right leg look crooked in comparison though his right leg is fully functional)

Bernadette before:

Bernadette after:

KNOCKED KNEES:

Just like bowed legs, knocked knees occurs because of Rickets and usually affects both legs.

Brundi before:

 

Brundi after:

 

Leonce before:

 

Leonce after:

 

Larissa before:

 

Larissa after:

 

TIP TOE WALK:

This deformity causes a person to walk as if she is wearing high heels even when barefoot.

Brenda before:

Brenda after:

Sandrins before:

 

Sandrins after: (pictured here in her last "cast"...though it is actually a brace)

OTHER SURGERIES:

Here are a few surgeries that are less common.  I am not even sure of all the medical names.

Vanya before:

I have to admit that these before pictures look fake, but I can assure you that her legs really did look like this.

Vanya After:

 

This is Vanya back at home, looking so normal.  Her family was so amazed and so happy.

Judicael before:

The toes point inward and the arch comes off floor more than normal.  His weight is resting on the outer portion of his feet.

Judicael after:

We will be back next year to help God do some more amazing transformations!