Around the Web

From Millie Delion via Facebook: Mountain biking on our rusty beater bikes, African thunder and lightening storm, Congo jungle trails and even a decent fall in a huge mud puddle... But we found the village- and even though the little patient we were going to visit to make sure was still ok was out in the woods with her family hunting caterpillars - she is healthy and doing well and we received a gift of Aka mushrooms.. What a great Saturday
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Old Scars from Reigning in Life:
One of our interesting patients recently came to us with very old injuries. In 1997 the Republic of Congo went through a civil war. Many of the wounds of that time have healed but some remain. Diane came to us with many unhealed scars from that war. During the war she was chased by rebels while riding on the top of a large truck. She fell off the top and the fall crushed a part of her spinal column paralyzing her from the waist down. For many years after the injury she struggled with her new disability in a country where no grace or accommodation is given to the disabled. Many are left to fend for themselves in whatever way possible. They are often disowned by families and wander the streets looking for handouts.

Read the rest here *warning surgical pictures*

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From New Sight Congo via Facebook: Maman Marthe is a precious pygmy lady with leprosy. Sarah is the most inspirational missionary who has dedicated her life to serving the poor. We call her Mother Teresa of Congo! Here we are celebrating Maman Marthe's new sight after her eye operation!

Our 3 new trainees are doing really well. It motivates them to learn more when they can see the tangible help that they are giving our patients.

Update from New Sight Congo

Just one of our many very beautiful patients! This was taken literally minutes after her surgery on Monday. Before her cataract operation, she could only see someone waving his hand 1 metre away. The day after her operation, she could read the letters off the visual acuity chart 6 metres away! She went home yesterday with a very different life ahead of her! So happy for her and her family!

Big Happy Exciting Day! We have 3 fresh nursing graduates starting at our eye centre. They are on a 3-6 month training program and if they progress well, we will employ them!

For more on the eye center, visit New Sight Congo.

Impfondo found Around the Web

Some of our colleagues in Impfondo have blogs, too.   The Harveys have been in the Republic of Congo since 1995.  Their newsletters can be found at Congo Harveys.

The Samoutous are operating New Sight Congo, the first eye center in our area.  They are also our neighbors in Impfondo.

 Dr. Laura Foudy was in Impfondo for about 2 1/2 years.  She's heading to the "other Congo" for three months.  We hope she'll be back in Impfondo soon.

The Tenpenneys are our newest arrival in Impfondo!

Another Random Saturday Part 3

Here are so.me more picts from that same Saturday.

motorcycle accidents are tough.  This is how we treat closed femur fractures here at our hospital. 6wks of traction

Yet he still smiles.

This gentleman fractured his leg about 4 wks before coming in.  Still was trying to walk on it.  He had an infection so he got a cast and some local dressing changes.

This little guy had his iguinal hernia repaired here.

A picture of stoicism.  He got a below the knee amputation the next day for a dead foot.

This little guy came in weighing 10kg at 5 years of age.  After a feeding tube and goo nutrition he's up to 13kg and is now smiling and playing

This man had a hernia repair as well.

This lady tried to break up a fight and got bit so hard on her finger that it broke the bone and then showed up to our hospital 5 days later with dead tissue and lots of infection..  She is slowly getting better

This is actually 2 patients.  The first is the mom who had a skin an muscle infection needing a huge incision on her back  an lots of dressing changes.  Her son developed malnutrition here when the mom stopped breastfeeding and was too sick to care for him.  He is doing better now with a little extra protein.

Its very dangerous to cross the street here in Impfondo.  This kid was hit by a truck and had a broken femur on the right (he's in a type of skin traction) and also ripped open his knee on the left.  He is doing better now and we can cast him soon.

Even with his 102 (at the time of pict) temp he still managed a smile.  He's afebrile now and even happier.  he likes the puppet shows we do for him.

This young lady had a generalized abdominal infection from an authorized abortion.  The person who did the abortion punctured her uterus and she came in with pus everywhere.  after a surgery and a couple of abscess drainage she was able to leave the hospital.

AND NOW THE STARS OF THE SHOW!!!

Here are the nurses that worked that day with me.

This is Charnelle.  She works in maternity, is a very bright hard worker.

From left to right.  Augstin (a nurse consultant, and also a photographer), Lillian (a CNA level nurse but who is learning a lot here) and Ghislain (one of our recent nursing training  program grads who is now learning eye screening an exam with Dr. Henri Samoutou)

  Again, your support helps us do all of this.  Thanks for  all you do for us.

Stephen

New hope for H.E.L.P.

We at HELP (Hôpital Evangélique ‘Le Pionnier’) are excitedly awaiting the arrival of a new missionary family. The Samoutou's are preparing to come to Impfondo to set up the first eye center in the Congo.

There are many eye problems that go untreated because of a lack of resources. The town of Impfondo and the whole region will benefit enormously from this care.

There was an article about them in the BBC News explaining some of the process. Here is an excerpt:

They are hoping to set up a clinic helping patients with eyesight problems in Impfondo, capital of the Likouala Region.

Dr Joyce Samoutou said she had worked at the Leeds practice for three years but she and he husband felt they had to help those with limited medical provision in Africa.

She said: "We found out that Republic of Congo has never had eye centre offering surgery before.

"According to World Health Organisation four out of five people in that region are either blind or visually impaired for avoidable reasons.

"Simple cataract surgery costing about £50 will change lives.

"Imagine you've got an eye problems so life is hard, it's even hard to get to visit a doctor because of either distance or money.

"Yet, with a simple operation these problems can be resolved, but the doctors out there cannot carry out the work and there are no referrals, so we're really passionate about going.

You can read the whole article "Leeds couple to open Congo eye clinic." Please keep the Samoutou family in your prayers as they finish their preparations and prepare to move.