Hi & welcome to our latest update
Being here in Chad can feel the same as with all places where
you work, you find that the work takes over and it starts to become routine.
You accept that the daily problems and difficulties are the norm and they no longer
feel unusual, you simply accept that this is how it is. But then an unexpected
or amazing event occurs and suddenly you forget the frustrations and realise
the difference we can sometimes make to a person’s life. But does it always need
to be so hard?
We would like to tell you about the difference the hospital
has made to the lives of two little boys. The first is called Idriss, he has
been a patient at l’hopital de Guinebor II (GII) since 9th October. He arrived
early one evening when Sue was on call. Sue was asked to see a little boy who had
an infection in his leg, but was not at all prepared for what she saw. Idriss
was laying in our emergency room and the smell from his leg hit you the minute
you walked into the room. 2 weeks prior to his arrival at GII, Idriss had
received an injection in his leg which then developed into an abscess. The area
increased in size until there was an area from his buttock to his knee of dead and
dying tissue, it looked as if he was going to lose his leg. He was in a lot of
pain and in great distress. His father had taken him from the place where he
had received the injection and brought him to N’Djamena to the general
hospital, he stayed there for only a few days before his father removed him and
brought him to GII. We have since found out that they had wanted to amputate
his leg.
He was admitted, given intravenous antibiotics and pain
killers, he also required a blood transfusion before his leg could be operated
on. This is not as easy as you might think as there is no blood bank here and
people have to rely on relatives with the same blood group to come forward. As Idriss’s family had travelled to the hospital it was a few days before blood
became available. Once he had received his transfusion Dr Mark was able to take
him to the operating theatre, not to amputate his leg, but to remove all the
dead tissue, luckily he found there was still muscle present. The leg was given
a thorough clean and dressed. Since that initial operation Idriss has his
dressing’s changed twice a week under anaesthetic as it is too painful and
distressing to do the dressings without. His leg is healing well and he has
received a second blood transfusion and part of his leg has had a skin graft
and he is now at the point of receiving a second skin graft. He is now able to
get out of bed, initially walking with a frame but now able to walk short
distances without aid. He has become a familiar sight around the hospital,
sitting with the guards turning up at the gate and even making it out to the
small shop outside the hospital. We managed to give him a small yellow truck
found in a container recently donated from the US which he plays with, he now
laughs and plays as any other 7 year old.
The second child is called Adoum, he is two years old and was admitted with severe malnutrition. He was unable to sit unsupported, had sores on his body and although when offered the milk feed he went to take it, he never swallowed it and it would just run from his mouth. Feeding tubes were inserted, which is something that is done when all other options have been explored, but even this did not help and Adoum would repeatedly pull them out. We were struggling to make a difference after a month of care and different regimes, it felt as if nothing would work. But then after another combination of antibiotics and a small bowl of yoghurt amazingly things started to change. Gradually he started to gain a small amount of weight, the sores on his body started to heal and then came a day that we had thought we would never see, Adoum talking and standing. His weight had increased by 3 kilos, after weeks in hospital he finally walked out a smiling happy two year old.
The pictures are of both Idriss and Adoum proudly wearing their hats knitted by Sue’s mum. The nights and early mornings, although a lovely temperature for us, feels cold to the local people so they are very grateful of hats and warm clothing.
At times the work can seem overwhelming, it feels like we are walking in treacle, one step forward and 2 back and then you have people like Idriss and Adoum who make sense of it all. Our faith and the power of prayer help us through the difficult times but doesn't stop us asking why it has to be so difficult. We look forward to the day when Idriss will be able to return home.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas
Blessings
Malc & Sue