Memory lane

So today I am still fully enjoying what is left of my Christmas break before heading back into the clinic to finish out my last 6 months of PA school (eek!).  Mark and I have decided that we own too much "stuff".  So spring cleaning came early to the Gibson household this year.  We have gone through our clothes and decided if we haven't worn it in the last 6 months, we don't need it.  We have been able to donate 1 HUGE bin of clothes, one garbage bag of clothes, books, a playstation, picture frames, etc, etc to Good Will.  And while I am quick to nominate Kelly McDonald as "hoarder of the year", I found that I too hold on to things perhaps too long.  While doing my cleaning, I came across a folder of school information.  In it, I had information about the MCAT test prep course that I took during mine and Mark's first year of marriage.  I also came across the dates that were available for me to take the test.  Well, its no secret that I decided not to go the medical school route.  I even decided not to take the MCAT.  As I fliped through the folder, I found a page where I had listed PA schools.  I had info on AB, Marietta, UK, and others.  I also had listed the requirements I had to meet for the University of Kentucky.  As I continued sifting through stuff, I found school work from the sociology class and medical terminology class I had to take to meet the prerequisite for UK's program.  I also found encouraging cards from my husband all along the way.  What a great reminder of God's faithfulness.  I had forgotten all those little details and I praise God for the reminder of where I have been and how he has never failed me. 

Bring your love to life inside of me

Hello friends!  I have decided to keep up with blogging.  We'll see how it goes.  I know it won't be filled with anymore pictures of lions and orphanages, but hopefully you will still find it worth the read.  I was moved to share with you about a song I heard today on KLOVE.  For those of you who don't know, KLOVE is a contemporary Christian music station that can probably be found in the city where you live.  Anywho, the song is called "love come to life" and its by Big Daddy Weave.  This song may not be that new to you, but remember, I was in Kenya for 2 months, so its new to me :)  Below you can find some of the lyrics from the song:

I've been restless on the iside

wondering about this heart of mine

I've been desperately trying to find

A way to prove that I'm still alive

Has the love I speak so loudly of quietly grown cold

Has my life been an empty voice?

What I say needs to be seen

I need to step out and make the choice

To let go of everything

Would you reignite this heart spark here in the dark?

Bring you love to life inside of me

Why don't you break my heart til it moves my hands and feet

For the hopeless and the broken

For the ones that don't know that you love them

Bring your love to life inside of me

I love how this song challenges us to reignite our love and passion for God.  I love the part where it states "what I say needs to be seen."  I recall the scripture from 1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."  And I pray that my honest prayer can be for God to break my heart until it moves my hands and feet.  James 2:17 tells us, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead."  It is easy for us to hear a song, see something on the news, or even experience first hand the needs of others and be emotionally moved.  But perhaps God is calling us to action...to be physically moved.  What if we all stopped saying, "thats for someone better qualified to do."  We serve a God with limitless power.  What if we allowed him to use his power through us.  God bless you and Merry Christmas!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrRbPU8YRxs&ob=av2n

Blessings

Well, I am officially back in the ol' routine.  Back in the U.S. almost completely adjusted to the time difference and back to studying and the normal chores that accompany my life as a wife and student.  Surprisingly, the change in time has been the easiest adjustment.  I have talked with Kelly since returning, and it seems that we are both experiencing a bit of culture shock.  Weird huh? Two Americans experiencing culture shock in the United States. As I was driving to meet my parents at the mall on Monday, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.  There I was driving my 2010 Toyota Highlander, wearing my favorite pair of boots that were given to me for my birthday last year (easily over $100), wearing my wedding band and engagement ring (which I decided not to take to Kenya), and my pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.  I had the realization that the value of my outfit that day could easily pay for food, a surgical procedure, or even a cow for a family to milk in Kenya.  I remember being young and going to Camp Cowen for the summer.  You leave after a week of fellowship and growing in your relationship with Christ "on fire" for God.  Sure, it stays with you for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, but the fire eventually fizzles and you are back where you were before.  I pray that the lessons I learned while in Africa stay with me for a lifetime.  I always want to be reminded of how little some have, and how much God has blessed me.  I pray that I always think twice about buying things in excess and think more about what great things God could do with my time and my money.  I realized that everything I have has been graciously given to me by God.  I'm not sure why he decided to give to me as he has, but I now realize that nothing I own is mine, it has all been entrusted to me.  I realize now that as long as I know from where my blessings flow and try and glorify God in all aspects of my life, there is no need to feel guilty about my blessings.  I have also learned that although the people of Bomet have much less than we have, they are still blessed.  They are more appreciative than anyone I have ever met.  They allow themselves to trust God daily for their needs, and I hope that I can learn to do the same. 

Search me, oh God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

All Good Things...

Well, our African adventure is almost at its end.  I appologize that I haven't blogged in a while, but as you can imagine, technology has its struggles here sometimes.  We have been without internet for about a week.  We have had some bad rain storms and I heard that a tower was down.  Anywho, I would like to fill you all in on what has been going on here at Tenwek in the last week.

As mentioned in previous blogs, Kelly is now in Pediatrics and I have been in general surgery (although there is nothing "general" about the surgeries performed here).  I have scrubbed in on various procedures including esophagectomies (this area is a hot spot for esophageal cancer), bowel resections, 3rd and 4th degree burn debridement, VP shunt placement, removal of a lipomyelomeningocele (which in the states would be done by a neurosurgeon), tumer excisions, and the list goes on and on.  I have also had the personal challenge of managing the patients in the mens surgical ward....talk about responsibilities!  There has been a doctors strike in the country of Kenya which has led to some healthcare shortages in government hospitals and even at Tenwek.  Not everyone at Tenwek is under the government, but some are, which lead to an increased need for accessible healthcare and people like me having to step up and do things that we may not always feel adequate enough to do.  I have been getting up at 5 every morning and prerounding on my pre and post op surgical patients, ordering lab studies, imaging, writing discharges, seeing patient's in the outpatient clinic, perscribing meds, and admitting patients.  I would be lying if I said that I was excited when they told me what all I would be doing, but the Lord has been faithful and never left my side.  I was never asked to do something that I didn't feel comfortable with, and I could always find help, whether it be in the form of translation or obtaining clinical guidance.  Needless to say, this rotation has been one of many challenges, personal growth, and feeling like the Lord has used me to make some kind of an impact.

Kelly and I also got to go to another orphanage called "Umoja".  We had such a great time!  There were about 40 kids there that ranged from the age of 2 all the way to 17.  When we arrived, they introduced themselves, sang us songs, and recited their favorite bible verse from memory.  I have never seen such disciplined kids!  Kelly and I were accompanied by our friends Patsy and Rachel.  Patsy told the kids a cool story about candy canes and how they tell the story of Christ's coming to earth.  Then we had picture time which the kids (and adults) LOVE.  They love to have their pictures taken and then want to see the result on the digital screen.  Below are a few pictures of our time at Umoja. 

Me, Patsy, and Rachel with all the kids at Umoja

Pretty girl :)

The kids singing silly songs and dancing



Anyone notice anything weird about this picture?  Kelly had no idea!  Oh the joys of Kenya!

Kelly and I have made some great friends while at Tenwek.  Laura, Joanna, and Carolyn have become dear friends of ours.  Joanna and Carolyn even had us over to their apartment on a few occasions to get a break from the guest house food (it was a welcomed change!)  These two ladies have a garden where they seem to have a never ending plethera of sweet potatoes.  What do you do with tons of sweet potatoes?  You make sweet potato pie, caserole, cookies, and our big group accomplishment.....SWEET POTATO POPTARTS!  We spent a Friday evening baking, listening to Christmas music, and swapping stories.  What great friendships the Lord has blessed us with while here at Tenwek!

Pizza night at Joanna and Carolyn's



Laura and Joanna made scones!



Kelly and the guest of honor...The Sweet Potato!

I also had the pleasure of celebrating my 26th (yikes) birthday in Kenya!  It was by far one of my most memorable birthdays.  Vince and Dolly, who are like another set of grandparents here at Tenwek, made a special birthday dinner for me and invited about 15-17 people to come and celebrate.  We had turkey noodle soup which was delicious! We also had brownies, ice cream (which is hard to come by here) with chocolate topping, whip cream, and cherries.  People made me homemade birthday cards, and Patsy and David even gave me some shillings so I can do some last minute shopping on our way to Nairobi.  I couldn't help but be amazed at how God has a way of bringing people together...this time 2 months ago I didn't even know these people, and here I was celebrating my birthday surrounded by genuine people who succeeded in making me feel special. 





All the ladies

Kelly and I and the birthday card she made for me :)



Kelly and I with Vince and Dolly

 I decided to put together a little list of things I have learned while in Africa.  Enjoy! And thanks again for all your love and support during this journey.  We have had an amazing time, but we look forward to heading back home to be with our families :)  God is so good and his presence is felt all over Tenwek Missionary Hospital.

Things I've Learned While in Africa:

• Weekends seem longer without television
• Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder
• God is the same no matter what continent you are on or what language you speak
• Healthcare screening is essential
• It's okay to stare at Mzungus
• Not everyone is the same as me
• Don't order something unfamiliar off of a menu (you may end up with intestines- Kelly!)
• Malaria prophylactic pills WILL make you nauseous, so take them with dinner
• Mosquito nets can be somewhat cozy and comforting when you are sleeping alone at night
• Skype is the greatest invention to date
• Lizards like to shower with humans
• Everyone understands a smile :)











No Translation Necessary

Regardless of what language you speak, there are two words that seem to be understood by everyone in Kenya.  The first is HIV, and the other is cancer.  Yesterday was World AIDS Day.  What a time to be in Kenya, a country where 1.5 million of its residents suffer from HIV/AIDS (a prevelance of 6.3%) and where 1.2 million children are orphaned due to this virus.  To put this in perspective, about 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV vs. 1.5 million in Kenya (which is geographically about the size of Texas).  If you spend any amount of time in Africa, you will hear the word "PEPFAR", which stands for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and was initiated by President George W. Bush.  Through PEPFAR, $15 billion was committed over 5 years to providing anitretroviral therapy (ART), support, and prevention free of cost to those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.  It has since been carried on by President Obama.  Tenwek is a major recepient of PEPFAR funds.  Thanks for paying your taxes :)

Yesterday for World AIDS Day, there was a gathering held at the Church at Tenwek.  A pastor of a Kenyan church spoke about the effect of AIDS and the associated descrimination.  You may be as surprised as I was to find that such a negative stigma exists around a diagnosis of HIV in Kenya.  I assumed since the illness was so common, that it would be more accepted here.  I assumed wrong.  The pastor told a story about his church which participated in outreach programs to minister to prostitutes living in their community.  All of whom were afflicted by AIDS.  The congregation was overjoyed one Sunday when a bus full of these women pulled up to the church and they started singing praises as they made their way down to the alter.  Twenty-eight women received Christ that morning, and the church was ecstatic!  Naturally, the next step for the women was baptism.  The pastor was stunned when members of the church approached him about their concerns of their children being baptized in the same water as the former prostitutes.  They even gave suggestions that perhaps their children could be baptised first, and then the women of the community could follow.  In the end, that pastor baptized everyone alphabetically therefore mixing all the participants together.  After the first former prostitute was baptised, she fell down into the water sobbing and praising God for salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.  Never before had the pastor witnessed a baptism where he could truly feel a person dying with Christ on emersion and being raised to new life.  The pastor made the point that "People can be hurt by the Church", but the Church should be a place of hope, restoration, and healing.  Although we as humans (and Church) often fail, praise the Lord for a savior who chooses to bring forgiveness and healing and new mercies every morning. 

The other word that needs no translation is cancer.  Many of our patients at Tenwek seek medical attention when it is too late.  This is usually due to financial restraints.  Patient's live too far and don't have the transportation or money for medical treatment so they often try home remedies to no avail. Often times their cancer is so advanced when they arrive that palliative care is all we can offer them.  I have been in the room with many patient's when they are told they have cancer and no matter what language they are being spoken to in, the word is always the same..."Cancer".  I have had the opportunity to pray with many patients while here, and I pray that they find comfort in the promises of Jesus, the mighty healer. 

Give Thanks

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever."  Psalm 100

As you can imagine, being in Kenya for 5 weeks has made me more aware of the blessings that the Lord has so graciously given me.  I have been surouded by a community of people who are truly grateful unto the Lord.  Many of whom we back in the States may look at and wonder what exactly they are thankful for.  I am touched by the humble hearts of those here at Tenwek, and the fact that any blessing, no matter how big or small, is understood to have come straight from God. 

I have many things to be thankful for this year.  I decided to share some of them so that the one who gave them to me can get the recognition and praise that he deserves. 

• Salvation in Jesus Christ.  Lord knows I fall short every day, but his mercies are new every morning.
• Mark.  I'm not sure why God chose to make him mine, but I am so glad that he did.  I am constantly in awe of the man that my husband is and continues to become.  Serving together in Kenya has been yet another reminder of his generous heart and his selflessness. 
• My family.  Unconditional love, that is what they give to me.  What comfort in knowing that no matter what is going on in life, I can always go home.  I am also thankful for the opportunity to extend my definittion of family when I married Mark, giving me even more people that love me and make sacrifices for me. 
• My friends.  I am one blessed girl! I truly have the best friends anyone could ask for.  I believe that their love for God enables them to love me more fully.  I can honestly say that I have friends that would put my needs before theirs, how comforting!
• The Physician Assistant Program at UK and my Classmates.  I am thankful to have the opportunity to educate myself and persue a profession I love and that will allow me to help others.  It has also given me the opportunity of a lifetime here in Kenya.  And my classmates? Well, praise God for them.  Its no secret that I tend to stress, but having them to remind me to "get it together" and have fun has not only gotten me through countless marathons of studying, but have made the process a very enjoyable one.
• Cooper.  I truly believe that God has blessed me through my dog.  He never fails to bring a smile to my face.  Any while sometimes I get annoyed that he ALWAYS greets Mark at the door and usually greets me, he will always be our first child.
• My sister.  Lindsey was in a car accident the morning of Thanksgiving while driving home in the early morning after a night at work.  And while her car was likely totaled, my sister was not. I will count this my greatest blessing.  Praise God for keeping her perfectly safe in the palm of his hands.  What joy to know that he still has great things in store for her.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of all my many blessings.  I guess you know you are really blessed when you have to cut your list short.  Being in Kenya has reminded me to be thankful for other things that I might usually take for granted...a roof over my head, transportation, food, access to healthcare, clean water, clothes, and the list goes on.  Thank you to all who read this blog.  Many of you have blessed Mark and I by your prayers, encouragement and financial support for this mission trip. I pray Gods blessings on all of you and I hope you had a wonderful and very happy Thanksgiving!

changes

Well, there are a lot of changes going on here at Tenwek.  Yesterday, Kelly and I completed our last day of our Women's Health rotation.  And although I don't see a furture for me in OB/GYN, I am going to miss all the staff on the OB floor.  And even though it was our last day, it prooved to be our most eventful.  Kelly and I each got the opportunity to be first assist in a cesarean delivery AND close.  I haven't sutured since my ER rotation, and I haven't done a subcutaneous stitch since we practiced on pigs feet in class, but thankfully I had good instruction at UK and it came back pretty quickly. 

I contemplated not sharing a particular case with you, but as this has been a learning experience for me, I thought I would share.  As you can imagine, not every day on the OB floor is a particulary happy day.  Here, the people do not have access to all of the imaging and diagnositic testing that we are priveledged to have in the states.  For example, back home, pregnant mothers have something called a Quad Screen when they are 16-18 weeks pregnant.  This test will tell the physician and family the risk a patient has for delivering a baby with Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, or nural tube defects (NTDs).  I can only imagine that by conducting this screening, it can better prepare families and physicians for dealing with a child that may have specific needs once he or she is born.  Many of the patient's here never receive an ultrasound during their pregnancy.  Sounds crazy, right.  Families in the states look forward to finding out the gender of their baby.  Women here will only have an US if their is uncertainty about the gestational age of the fetus or if a problem arises.  The patient who's surgery I helped with yesterday had received an ultrasound that measured her babies head much larger than it should be.  Again, without access to all the diagnostic tests we have in the states, we had to assume the possibility that this baby had hydrocephaly.  A form of nural tube defect where an abnormal amount of cerebral spinal fluid builds up in the cavities of the brain.  This condition can cause all kinds of developmental problems and even death.  So there I was, scrubbed in on a C-section that may not have a happy ending.  One thing I love about Tenwek is that we pray with our patients before every surgery.  I have even had the opportunity to pray for a few of my patients. So of course we prayed for this mama, and as we all need prayer, I couldn't help but think this mother and child needed it most.  So we did the surgery and this baby did indeed have hydrocephaly.  I won't go into too much detail, as some of you reading may not do well with medical graphics, but the increased size of this infants head made the delivery much more difficult.  I had to put all of my weight on the mother's abdomen to try and maneuver the child out of the incision that had been made.  Upon further evaluation, the infant had a meningocele.  This is more commonly referred to spina bifida.  Here, an unfused portion of the spinal column allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude.  There is usually some degree of paralysis, and infections are very common.  As of today, the baby is actually still living and breathing on his own.  NTDs are usually caused by inadequate amount of folic acid in the mother.  The nural tube has developed by the time a woman misses her first period and therefore before she even knows she's pregnant, so the recommendation is for every woman of reproductive age to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily espeically those who want to conceive within three months.  I asked my preceptor if these women have access to prenatal supplements.  He stated that there is a theory that women who live in countries with a corn based diet have greater incidences of NTDs that is possibly due to a folic acid antagonist found in the food.  Interesting.  Please keep this mother and her child in your prayers.  We serve the mighty healer.  Yesu anaweza- God is able.

On a different note.  Today is Mark's last day in the physical therapy department at Tenwek.  He will be headed back to the States on Monday :(  Several of his co-workers have asked Mark to become a full time missionary here! (don't worry family, we aren't planning on it)  They love him, and who wouldn't :)  I have gotten to watch Mark interact with the people here at Tenwek and it has been absolutely amazing to see how God has used him.  Mark has a special gift of making those around him feel special and happy.  Doing missions in Africa has always been one of my dreams, and now I think Mark would agree that it has become a passion for him as well.

As for Kelly and I, we will start our new rotations on Monday.  Kelly will be headed to pediatrics and I will be headed to general surgery.  Please keep us in your prayers as changing rotations, especially in a different country, is usually accompanied by some anxiety.  Thanks for your continued prayers and words of encouragement.  Please remember Mark as he makes the long journey back home by himself.  God Bless!!