Dear Friends,
The "cold weather that came with a bang" in June continued for almost 3 months and now summer has arrived. Thank you for your prayers during the past 3 months while we had record numbers of emergency and scheduled operations, in-patient admissions and lab tests. And this is usually our 'quiet' period of the year! Here's an extract from my diary in August...
Date: Sunday 15 August 2004. Spent yesterday 1 - 6pm and 9 - 11.30 am this morning in the lab. 10 admissions yesterday and a couple this morning. Busy all week. 4 xmatches on Monday and one every day since then. I'm tired of the responsibility and never-ending lab tests. Good that JP worked Monday because he did an urgent xmatch Monday night for a 35 year old man vomiting blood. Hb 25g/L, after 3 transfusion bags, it's only 35g/L so he's still bleeding.
Tuesday 10pm Called for a critical x-match for lady with placenta praevia - bleeding profusely. Hilde couldn't get blood sample for me to do blood grouping and x-match. Dr Jeannine trying to get an intravenous drip line into her other arm. (The bed was raised at her feet to increase her blood pressure while the patient was on oxygen...
10.15pm. Young woman with meningitis being resuscitated by Dr Adrien and two staff but she died. In the midst of all this, a lady 9 months pregnant who had meningitis 3 weeks ago, started having contractions.
1am. Dr Jeannine assisted delivery of a healthy 2kg baby boy.
1.30am. After I finished the x-match and collected 2 blood transfusion bags, a child with dyspnea needed an urgent thick smear which was neg and WCC showed infection. Red cells abnormal -suggestive of congestive cardiac failure.
2am. Hilde drove me home.
3am. A man came in - may need a lapraotomy; Dr Adrien decided he didn't need to operate.
3.30am. Hilde got to bed but Dr Jeannine didn't see her bed at all.
8am. Woman with placenta praevia delivered dead baby normally! - very unusual case."
We are grateful that the workload has reduced during the past two weeks which allows us to complete tasks that were 'put on the backburner'. My co-worker, Mr Jean Pierre returned to work 30th August and Marline commenced her holiday leave that day and returns 04 October. I am thankful that our health remains good despite infectious specimens we process in the lab without protection of a biohazard cabinet.
We were encouraged that 250 children regularly attended the Kids' Holiday Bible Club which finished early September. Last Sunday over 200 children came to the morning service. Please pray for the new teachers preparing lessons for Sunday School which commenced 26 September and pray that the children and their parents will be touched by the Holy Spirit through this demanding but rewarding ministry. Continue to pray for the safety of workers installing roofing sheets on the new church building. The main frame is completed and looks impressive in Mandritsara's skyline. The inauguration of the church building will be held August 2005, God willing. Pray that the Good News faithfully proclaimed at the hospital each day will direct lost sinners to the Kingdom of God.
Thank you for your faithful support in giving and ongoing prayer for my ministry. I pray that God will bless and encourage you in your service for Him.
Yours sincerely,