Our screening process for potential surgical patients began last week here in and around the capital city of Lome. This photo includes my friends Joy Taylor and Ans Rozema with an orthopaedic patient. This year instead of two days of mass screening with thousands of people, we are conducting various smaller screenings over several weeks in partnership with the Ministry of Health. I will write more about screenings in future KRB Updates.
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Ship Arrives in Lome, Togo
The ship safely arrived in the Port of Lome in the nation of Togo on February 10th. My dear friend Clementine Tengue who is from both Togo and Ghana had the privilege to carry the Togolese flag down the gangway. Due to still being in the hospital when the ship sailed, I travelled instead by air from Europe and overland from Ghana. I arrived three days after the ship arrived. I spent a lot of time here in Togo last year with assessment and advance. Togo was the first nation in Africa that Mercy Ships visited – back in 1990.
AFM from Hospital Room Jan10
In late January, I had to be hospitalized due to a kidney stone and a hole in my left kidney. Thankfully none of my friends from the ship took a photo when they visited me, except for Mark but the photo he took was the view of the ship from my hospital window. (Small white dot in the middle). I am thankful for God’s provision in so many ways.
KRB Update 2150 My Time in Hospital
KRB Update #2150 February 20, 2010
My Time in Hospital
Imagine the worst pain you have experienced in your life… For me I have been pretty healthy and had only been the hospital at my birth and a short overnight when my tonsils were removed as a 3 year old. On Sunday evening (Jan 24th), I started to feel horrible pain in my lower left side of my back. After much consideration, I paged the crew nurse. She came and was soon followed by our crew physician and they started to give me shots to help my pain. Since the Africa Mercy Hospital was closed down it was not possible to do any diagnostic tests. They made arrangements to rush me to go the emergency room at the local hospital in La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. In the waiting room, as I was crying and shaking, a woman went to get the ER nurse and brought her to the waiting room and pointed at me and it was only a couple minutes and they were calling my name. A nurse was able to get a line in my left hand and the only words he spoke to me in English were ‘Pain Killer’ – then it was back and forth with X-ray and a scan which showed them the rupture (small hole) in my left kidney made by a kidney stone. The next day, our crew physician, Dr. Craig, came in as the nurse was explaining that they were taking me for surgery to insert the tube to relieve the pressure for the hole to heal. They also shared that I would be in the hospital for 1-2 weeks and it hit me hard as the ship was leaving on Sunday. Soon I was wheeled off to floor -2 for the surgerical procedure as I stared up at the lights in the hall. I was shaking and scared – 90 minutes later I was out with the tube and a bag to collect urine from that kidney. I couldn’t sleep but I really couldn’t do much of anything. The nursing and other staff told me in Español what to do and when. Friends from the ship visited me in the afternoon and early evening – this was so encouraging. Our OR Supervisor shared that “it was good that it happened in Spain where they have experts to take care of you as if we were sailing, our options would have been so limited and probably would have to air evacuate you out”. The situation in Togo and Ghana would not have been any better either. At the University Hospital, they had the doctors and nursing staff and all the equipment to care for people with this problem. God was taking care of me and providing for me. Then there was the hope that I could be discharged Saturday afternoon and the ship was sailing on Sunday morning. But with the advice of various ones of my leaders it was decided it would not be good for me to sail and mentioned a housing option. In the end on Saturday, severe pain returned for three episodes, but it was probably just blood from the hole for the tube or some tissue. I was able to watch the ship sail from my hospital window (see photo) and it was emotional, but I had a peace that God was providing for me. Monday came and the doctors gave me the go ahead to be discharged – they knew the ship had left and were glad to hear I was staying on the island and advised me to take the rest needed before returning to Africa. On Sunday and Monday, my mind was clearer and able to talk more with the hospital staff and able to share about Mercy Ships and what we are doing in Africa. Later on Monday afternoon, I was able to leave the hospital and started the time of rest and recuperation. I received many greetings and messages that I am praying for you via email and also via Facebook – I was overwhelmed with all the love expressed.
Some Lessons Learned: In addition to drinking liters of water every day, I feel that now I can relate better with the patients I visit in the hospital on deck 3 of the ship: *being in the hospital with staff who speak a language other than one’s first language *wearing the hospital gown and just trying to get to the toilet with your urine bag and IV tubes and pole *the challenge of taking a shower *the horrible feelings of pain *the fear of surgery – being scared and uncertain *the joy of having a visitor *the great desire and longing to be discharged and the disappointment when that is delayed.
Our hospital will open tomorrow as we welcome our initial patients for this Togo 2010Field Service.
Thank you for your prayers (though I realize not everyone knew about this), encouragement and love expressed.
Ken Berry – Final Mgmt Team Mtg Jan 10
My friends Ken and Ann Berry will be leaving the ship this week. I have known them from the very early days on the Caribbean Mercy in ’94 where we served together. They have been instrumental in the launching of the Africa Mercy and has been serving as our Managing Director and my supervisor. They will continue with Mercy Ships but out of the IOC in Texas serving in Marine Operations and in particular on our generator project for later this year. We will have a farewell party on Tuesday evening for them.
Iglesia Santa Ursula 24Enero10
Today was our last Sunday to attend the evangelical church here in Tenerife. We were given an opportunity to share our thanks and so I translated for Clementine who has known the people of the church since last year. For me, it has been good to be able to worship the Lord in Espanol once again like when I served on the Caribbean Mercy in Latin/Central America. I know that we will stay in touch and that they are praying for us as we leave soon for Lome, Togo.
Public Tours
On Thursday, we opened the ship to the public here in Tenerife for the opportunity to come and visit. We are thankful for the hospitality of the Ports of Tenerife in allowing us to be here. My first tour was actually a group from the evangelical church that I have been attending – isn’t God’s timing great. In the photo, we are in Ward D that is set up to give the tour guests an idea what the hospital is like – though we couldn’t find a pulse on the guy in bed #6 : – )
Work Phase in Tenerife
The Technical Work Phase continues to go well here in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They reported this morning that we have passed some inspections and more will probably happen next week with the Port State Inspection and Flag State Inspection. All of the safety equipment is receiving their annual servicing. We continue to pray for all those working on these technical work projects for safety and that there will not be any ‘show stoppers’ for us leaving at the end of the month for Lome, Togo.
Loro Parque touching dolphins
Many of the crew and in particular the families were able to visit Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz – on the other side of the island. It is like a Sea World, if you have visited there. I went last year and spent the day with the Kronester family.
In this photo one of the Samaraweera kids had the chance to be in the ‘Dolphin Show’ and go out in the boat.
Logo on Stack Jan ’10
One of the project during this technical work phase is replacing the logo on the stack of the Africa Mercy. As we changed our logo awhile back, we need now to replace the old logo on the ship. You will notice in the background the hill/mountains as this island has many mountains including the highest point in Espana (Spain).