Yesterday I took some pictures and observed an abdominal surgery on a young woman with abdominal pain. Sean assisted Dr. Fuka throughout the surgery. I love that I find it fascinating, I truly appreciate the skills and knowledge that each individual has… it was amazing to see her appendix removed by Sean and Dr.Fuka! They also drained a cyst on one of her ovaries.
When I first arrived they had already begun the surgery. As I was taking pictures I couldn’t see the patients face… and then I saw her hand move and gesture towards one of the OR nurses… “Yikes!” I thought, "she's not all they way asleep"… then the nurse asked me to come over there… the patient wanted her picture taken. So it was a little weird taking the picture of a ½ smiling patient while her intestines were being inspected of any abnormalities! They used spinal anesthesia (like we use in a C-section).
I did like that she was awake… because even though we couldn’t REALLY talk to each other because of the language barrier, between the nurses who know some English, and my limited Lingala, I got to know her a little. I held her hand for a while… and she kept asking, “finished?”… She was sweet… Mary Rose the OR nurse asked her if she was a Christian… she said she was Muslim. Either way I still prayed for her as I held her hand… that her heart would be touched by God through all the hands touching her at that moment. It is such an honor to be here, and to be here with Sean.
Hopefully we can upload some more pictures soon... the internet hasn't loaded them recently. We'll keep trying!
2 comments:
Dear Candice and Sean,
How is your patient doing?
Maybe it is good you have limited communication during the surgery ( Candice) . . .that frees you up to just "be with them". Amazing what all is being shared.
LOVE ! ~Buddy (forever)
The patient is doing pretty well... on Thursday we had her drink some water and told her to start walking around. Her abdominal pain was not as bad, but her belly still hurt (maybe because her intestines were out of her body 2 days prior!) So hopefully her pain continues to subside.
She's a good patient though... because she was up and walking around the compound within 5 minutes after we told her. :)
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