Thanksgiving in Gabon

November 26, 2015 Thanksgiving Day

by Pat Rees

We had a full surgical day today, but amazingly, the last 2 cases were really fast and we were done before 5 PM!  That was good as the "group Thanksgiving dinner" for all the missions folks on compound was to be at 5:30.  Lilly Ann had volunteered to make my instant mashed potatoes for me so I just had to give her the box and the pan this AM before work.  It was an amazing meal.  OK, It was good by American standards, but to be here in the jungle and have actual turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, plus pies was unbelievable.  (The ophthalmologist just came home from the national meeting where she spoke and actually won the yearly award for her humanitarian work.  She brought the turkey!!!)  We had "trivia questions" and then played some group game.  It really was fun with lots of laughter.  Unfortunately, the single gal who does Medicine-OB got called out just after opening prayer.  She had been one of the "instigators" getting the thing organized.  She was gone for a long time back at the hospital, and when she returned, she just got a plate of food and left, saying she needed to be alone.  My heart goes out to her, as I suspect she had a bad case AND she missed all the "fun" she had worked at planning.  

by Fenton Rees

Pray for Pat.
The medical director / chief surgeon will be back in the US beginning next Tuesday, (for 10-12 days I think, and the reason Pat has stayed so long in Gabon). For the first 5 days of that, the one other surgeon (Gabonese) and all the other senior surgery residents will be in Mali for oral exams.  So Pat will be it!  Pray that no crazy ortho or urology or gynecology problems turn up, as Pat typically doesn’t do those. 

All for now,

Blessings,

Fenton (& Pat).

Who is the God that Heals?

Jamelle came with two younger men to the emergency area yesterday. He is from a town 2 hours away that hosts the district hospital, but that hospital has no surgeon, and frequently little supplies. Jamelle is 60 years old, and has been in Gabon from his native Lebanon, off and on, for 35 years. By the cut of his clothes and how he understands English, I suspect he is a prominent businessman. 5 years ago, he had some heart issues and (reportedly) had some cardiac stents placed. The doctors then started him on two medications to prevent the stents from occluding.

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It's Tougher at Bongolo

We had to bail out early from the elk hunt (lots of rain) so Bambi elk still lives. But it was still a great “guy” kind of time, and now back home in Mukilteo, it is looking like this will be the second night in a row without electric power; it’s been off since yesterday afternoon when a big wind storm blew through western Washington. But with a portable generating grinding away, I still have lights and some heat, and the backpacking “JetBoil” stove works quite OK for cooking. Yes, it is kind of a pain, but at least the toilet still works!  And it is not as tough as they have it in Bongolo.

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A Dark Day In Bongolo

Normally, I associate lack of sun and overcast skies as less than favorable days where we live in the “Grey North-Wet”, but in Bogolo, the cloudy skies are viewed differently. When the clouds block the sun, it actually makes the weather nicer! The humidity during the rainy season is definitely north of 80% (probably 90%) and when the sun shines, it is really pretty steamy. When the sun is blocked, it makes the heat less and the afternoons much more comfortable. Today was a grey day in Bongolo but for more than one reason: We lost “one of our own” to death. 

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Laying Low in Bongolo

I thought I would add a line since I found Fenton's email to all of you and don't want you to think that I am gravely ill here in this foreign country!  I am "sharing the love"  or the virus as it really is, that has been going through the entire surgical staff.  It is the runny nose, fever, chills, sore throat, etc.  I have to admit, I usually just put up with that, but this one was a "tough virus" as the residents are calling it, so staying home a day from work really was a smart thing to do.  Anyway, I am on the mend, really having felt the touch of the Lord in bringing healing. 

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No Smoke!

The big electrical switch-er-roo happened on Saturday as planned.  I was helped by the main Gabonese maintenance man (Olivier), the medical director / surgeon Dr. Thelander and his son Luke.  No smoke, quite boring. Just one hiccup with some lights not coming back on due to some of their funky wiring (those unknown unknowns !).  So PTL.  And if you prayed, THANK YOU. On Monday we will finish up a few minor items we didn’t get to.  So phew, that is a bit of a monkey off my back.

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Life in the Jungle

Stuck on an Island.
Being here at Bongolo Hospital is a little like being on an island, except the sea in this case is the green jungle. If you include the nearby small town of Labamba as being on the same island, then the rest of “civilization” is an 11 hour drive thru the jungle or a 2 hour flight by Cessna back to the capital of Libreville. People who move to a small island from the mainland to live sometimes talk about “Island fever”, the need to get off because of the lack of space, or boredom or there being no possibility of gong for a long drive ...

 

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