Sally Lannin, our blogger had sent us messages earlier last week but they were lost in cyber space.
Welcome Back to Liberia, CSI!!!
We arrived in the dark of the evening and as we walked off the plane and felt the tropical weather we knew we were back in Liberia!! Up early the next morning to attend the ribbon cutting of the wonderful Firestone Friendship House courtesy of our host, Dan Adomitis and the Firestone Company. Inspired by seeing all of the families who came to screening in 2010 and had no place to stay, Dan worked with Firestone to creat the Friendship House near the Duside Hospital. Now open, the facility will house up to four families who are in need of a place to stay while their loved ones are having surgery. It is truly a wonderful place.
And today was the first day of screening... it is almost midnight and we are still up printing the photos of the over 100 patients who will receive surgery over the next five days. We screened more patients today than CSI has ever screened in one day; over 150. Sadly, we saw only about 1/4th of the patients that were waiting to be screened. It is utterly heartbreaking to see and to wonder what will happen to these families. But the very good news is that due to the demand, we have decided to start surgery a day early... so tomorrow's day which was supposed to be all screening will have two of our surgeons operating.
Everyone on the entire team is literally slaving. Thankfully Firestone has spent the entire year prepping their team here in Liberia for our return, and the preparation has paid off. Many many of their staff have been pulled to be dedicated to us being here... they are helping guide patients up to the screening area, walking to and waiting at the laboratory with parents and their little kids. Firestone has helium ballons up everywhere and the kids are thrilled. We are always amazed at how wonderfully patient the Liberia parents and their children are. The kids, many of whom spent the night outside waiting for the next day's screening, arrive dressed in the best clothing they have( one little fellow arrived wearing a necktie), hoping to be selected for surgery. Dr. Dave Vandersteen even performed a very quick but essential on the spot surgery for a little 6 year old boy who had been unable to urinate more than a trickle for years. He had been screened a couple of months ago here at the hospital and was put on hold until Dr. Vandersteen's arrival. Upon examination, Dave discovered a hard rock- like mass at the tip of the boy's penis, which he cut open to release a hazelnut sized calcification that had literally been blocking the boy's ability to urinate. The rock popped out, and immediately the boy "peed like a race horse" and the mother screamed "Lord Jesus, its a miracle!!". Quite a way to start our trip of service, don't you agree?
Welcome Back to Liberia, CSI!!!
We arrived in the dark of the evening and as we walked off the plane and felt the tropical weather we knew we were back in Liberia!! Up early the next morning to attend the ribbon cutting of the wonderful Firestone Friendship House courtesy of our host, Dan Adomitis and the Firestone Company. Inspired by seeing all of the families who came to screening in 2010 and had no place to stay, Dan worked with Firestone to creat the Friendship House near the Duside Hospital. Now open, the facility will house up to four families who are in need of a place to stay while their loved ones are having surgery. It is truly a wonderful place.
And today was the first day of screening... it is almost midnight and we are still up printing the photos of the over 100 patients who will receive surgery over the next five days. We screened more patients today than CSI has ever screened in one day; over 150. Sadly, we saw only about 1/4th of the patients that were waiting to be screened. It is utterly heartbreaking to see and to wonder what will happen to these families. But the very good news is that due to the demand, we have decided to start surgery a day early... so tomorrow's day which was supposed to be all screening will have two of our surgeons operating.
Everyone on the entire team is literally slaving. Thankfully Firestone has spent the entire year prepping their team here in Liberia for our return, and the preparation has paid off. Many many of their staff have been pulled to be dedicated to us being here... they are helping guide patients up to the screening area, walking to and waiting at the laboratory with parents and their little kids. Firestone has helium ballons up everywhere and the kids are thrilled. We are always amazed at how wonderfully patient the Liberia parents and their children are. The kids, many of whom spent the night outside waiting for the next day's screening, arrive dressed in the best clothing they have( one little fellow arrived wearing a necktie), hoping to be selected for surgery. Dr. Dave Vandersteen even performed a very quick but essential on the spot surgery for a little 6 year old boy who had been unable to urinate more than a trickle for years. He had been screened a couple of months ago here at the hospital and was put on hold until Dr. Vandersteen's arrival. Upon examination, Dave discovered a hard rock- like mass at the tip of the boy's penis, which he cut open to release a hazelnut sized calcification that had literally been blocking the boy's ability to urinate. The rock popped out, and immediately the boy "peed like a race horse" and the mother screamed "Lord Jesus, its a miracle!!". Quite a way to start our trip of service, don't you agree?
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