Surgery in the Bush...

Recently I was privileged to be part of a 7 day medical camp. I posted about 4 of the days on Facebook so please go there to see pictures of the awesome team and how we worked together. We were a team of 10 Americans including a doctor and a nurse plus about 8 Kenyans including Dr. John Sentero seen below and several translators plus pastors at each church.

On day 6 the two doctors performed surgery on the hand of one of the precious people who came for medical treatment. Below are 30 some pictures of the surgery. Be warned, some are a bit graphic...in fact I can't even look at them! But then I am a bit of a wimp :)

I took this photo to show how the OR is being prepped. The table was covered with a sheet of plastic and here Dr. Eric Kerley is sanitizing the operating table.
Here both doctors are explaining what will happen...this woman has a large lump on her hand between her thumb and forefinger. The lump restricted her ability to work so she and her family have been suffering for months.
Can you see the lump on her hand?
Ah she is a brave lady! I think Dr. John here is shooting her with something to numb the area.
Okay...I am sensing pain...
Oh, I can feel her pain now...
At this point I left the area...couldn't take any more! A dear (new) friend named Kay volunteered to go back in and take the photos you see from here...
I think there is no need to explain what is happening...






Later Dr. Eric told us that Dr. John was extremely brave as he dug deep and around nerves to get the whole lump out...
Notice Dr. John is in a dress shirt!?



Kay did an awesome job doncha think? You can see the fatty deposit (that's what it was) below her hand...oh - and notice she still has her bracelet on!

Closing up the wound...


From here I had the camera...I shot this through the open window...open to the dirt, dust and bugs from the outside...it was way too hot to close the windows...
This is Nurse Paula...she and her husband Don have a ministry called T.H.E.M. (The Healing Evangelism Ministry). They are personal friends who sponsored the 7 day medical clinic. I love to watch her working with patients. She has a tender and loving heart.
Here she is overseeing the bandaging process :)

Here Paula is giving orders to ensure that her patient will receive the proper aftercare she will need. Later I found out that she will walk one hour to a nearby dispensary every day for at least two weeks in order to have the dressing changed.
That evening we prayed as a group that her wound will heal properly and without any infection.