A view into daily life

So even after being here for starting my 10^th month, no 2 months have been the same, however just for a glimpse, I thought that I would share my April.

  April 1^st started with visiting CORSU hospital, a specialized orthopedic and plastics hospitals in Entebbe.  Through that visit I had lunch with an IMB missionary that I met through another IMB career couple that I was a Journeyman with way back in 1999-2001. He went to South America, she to Israel, they married, worked in South America for many years, and then came to Uganda 3 years ago. When I sent out a mass email about coming to Uganda we reconnected. And all of that to say that now a Southern Sudanese refugee girl from a refugee camp in Northwestern Uganda (that I have never been to) is now getting her club foot repaired at CORSU almost free of charge due to all of these blessed connections.

Refugee from Southern Sudan

  April 2, I went on a home visit to visit one of our new additions to our North American Heart surgery list.  I am mentoring our nurse Anna with hands on training for physical exams. What to look out for, syndromic kids, big inguinal or umbilical hernias, other infections, etc.

  3^rd and 4^th were in the hospital preparing for visiting team the following week.  

  April 7-11 a team from Italy (Milan) (though the ICU team was from Madrid) were here. They did 2 surgeries on Monday, and then 1 on Tuesday. I was at the hospital all day and night Monday, rested Tuesday day, and then back Tuesday night, but after that, just days as kids did well. ASD and VSD did very well. Though one VSD was so big, and RV  (right ventricle) so small, they ended up doing a Glenn. (2^nd stage palliation repair) so had a good time trying to explain that to mom, but he did well. In fact funny story, as he was leaving the ICU on Friday, he squatted and pooped right on the floor of the ICU (just to let us know how he really felt about us and our ICU) ( he was only 2) then he walked down the hall high-fiving everyone.

Heart Patient and a PICU nurse, Edith, during the Italian Team's visit

Kianna doing "rounds" with the Madrid PICU team.

She loves going to the hospital to "see the babies".

  The 14^th was clearing out from the previous week’s surgeries. ON Tuesday the 15^th, I again traveled with Anna and Michael to see a new child in Mbale. Good trip, long day, round trip 8 hours, just travel, but also while in Mbale we saw the CURE hospital there that is so good,  US neurosurgeons COME to Uganda to be trained by Ugandan neurosurgeons in a shuntless hydrocephalus procedure, pretty amazing stuff!! Guy in charge there, Eric has been there since 2005, and his wife is a physical therapist. Doing great work!!  16^th 2 other new kids around Kampala, and then back in the hospital.

  Then next week the same Monday hospital, Tuesday up country, though this time only 4 hours roundtrip, though got sick on the way back. Food tasted good on the way down, but not so much on the way back up.   Went to bed early, which was good. Because when I went in on Wed thinking, oh easy day, turns out an ex 32 weeker (2 months premature) had been in the Peds Ward for 3 weeks with a mediastinal mass. It tooks 1 week to get a CXR, (came in with respiratory distress), another to get the chest CT, and then another to get the report. So on Wed he went in for his 6 hour surgery of a tumor as big as his heart, that the surgeons said “knew more anatomy that they did”. But they got it out. Not a bad night, had just gotten a new Draeger vent, so even had an end tidal CO2 tracing, (that was awesome!). Somehow he made it through the weekend (we have lost quite a few while intubated overnight, I just can’t stay there 24/7 by myself) and was extubated after 5 days this past Monday morning. Our of our nurses (John) who is also a pastor and I were talking, and I was marveling that he had survived 3 weeks in Mulago, and 5 days on the vent, and John prophesied and said that “the enemy tried to kill Moses and Jesus as babies also, just like the enemy has tried to kill this one (Morgan), God has a plan for this boy’s life!”  WOW!  Tuesday he improved, and then Wed through Friday I spent at heart camp seeing 50 former heart patients (through Children’s Heart Project) growing in their walk with the Lord or getting to know Him for the first time with the theme "Bearing Fruit".  Also hosted a video team from Headquarters. I was miked up and interviewed for the first time, and tried to coordinate other interviews and pics and videos to tell the story. Wonderful time of worship and fellowship. Old kids from last August that I was able to catch up with, and new meetings also.

Joel and Caesar on the right at Heart Camp

Heart Camp kids

                       

Heart Camp Kids

  Rogers from last camp was there again; he was the guy who could not walk 100 feet, but won the 100 yard dash last year and he did it again this year. He almost did not make it to camp, as he had no money, his dad tried to wire it, and that failed, so a friend helped out, and he just knew that God wanted him at camp!!

   A new friend is named Sheena. Had heart surgery way back in 2004 at DC Children’s and has now graduated university and is working in the tourism industry. She cried when she heard what I do here (thanks to you all) as she said “thank you so much for helping the heart children of Uganda!!”

   Then on the way back into Kampala, we stopped at our newest acceptee, Morris. He has just been accepted by a new hospital in Cali. 13 months big VSD. It was a blessing for the time to experience the contrast between the repaired camp kids, and this unrepaired guy. And then I was crying tears of joy as he has hope now, he has been accepted, we just pray that he stays healthy until he travels!! 

Baby Morris

Baby Morris

   So from meeting partner hospitals (as a lot of cardiac kids have other issues also) to helping a girl I have never met with her club foot through friends from 15 years ago now, to an unexpected heart tumor, to new kids on the list, to old repaired kids, to new teams to the Heart Institute and to myself, to now getting ready for a UK team here for the next 2 weeks, the fun never stops!!!!

  Please pray for:

1.     Morris to stay healthy until his time comes

2.     Ian who is in Nashville now for surgery, left this past Wed.

3.     Wisdom and strength for the next 2 long weeks, I find I get drained quicker than I used to, especially working alone.

4.     Continued guidance about the future, not only mine, but as I help lead CHP Uganda and for the Heart Institute.

5.     For Kristy and the kids as they only have 4 weeks left until a much deserved break, they have worked so hard and adjusted so well this past year!!!

Thanks for all and God Bless, Joel