Hospital Updates

Max-fax has been slow the past few days, so D ward has been pretty quiet. They haven't been doing as many surgeries, but it should pick back up again shortly - I think we're waiting to get the anesthetists we need to do pediatric surgeries.

One of our general surgery patients, a lady who had a thyroidectomy, developed some complications and is now in the ICU. She came down with severe malaria, typhoid fever, and congestive heart failure-like symptoms. I cared for her the past 3 nights, and she stayed about the same over the weekend. Not doing any worse, but not really much better either after receiving antibiotics, diuretics, ACE-inhibitors and a blood transfusion. Please keep her in your prayers, that she will respond to the treatment and take a turn for the better soon. Also, typhoid is contagious and not all the nurses have received the vaccine. I have, thankfully, but please pray for the health of our nurses and everyone on the ship.

The man with the noma nose and palate reconstruction is going back for his second surgery tomorrow! He's been doing well, although losing weight. I'd lose weight too if my tongue was sutured to the roof of my mouth! We started him on nutritional supplements a couple of days ago, so hopefully he'll gain the weight back and his wounds will heal faster. Everyone's looking forward to his second surgery tomorrow, to release his tongue and replace the pedicle flap back on his scalp.

The plastic surgeon who was here at the beginning of the outreach returned this week for another round of plastics. The plastics patients take months to heal, and we finally sent the last ones home last week. Now we're about to fill up A ward again with a new set.

That's all for now. I just worked night shift the past 4 nights, and I'm tired!