This past week has been a little different than most for me. The beginning was very much the same. I was on call this past weekend and, honestly, was glad to see it end. (Currently when I take call it is for the medicine service.) One of my fellow post-residents was also on this weekend for surgical coverage. Together, we saw deaths in the double-digit on our services. It is tough in the medical field to not become too calloused to death. I think you have to become calloused to it, at least to a small degree, as a protective mechanism. That’s not to say that we don’t care…we do. We care deeply. You would have to be insane to go through the training we do, the stress we endure, the time away from family, and the hardships that we go through if we didn’t genuinely care about our patients. On the flip side, if we became too emotionally involved with every single death, it would destroy us quickly and we would burn out. That being said, having so many people die in one weekend is not something I hope to ever become accustomed to. Several deaths were in very young patients and many were unexpected. It is tough but I’m trying to see how God can receive the glory through the ongoing deaths of His people.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were standard days of clinical work in casualty with a few meetings to develop protocols for the department. Our mix of patients included our standard trauma and medical patients with a variety of ailments. Woman’s health in many countries is complex and Kenya is no exception. Within a 10-minute time frame, we had two women arrive who were critically ill after criminal abortions. Sadly one developed necrotizing fasciitis and died. These cases are always tragic on so many levels. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, suicide attempts here are regrettably frequent and are generally done by means of ingestion of organophosphates. We had four cases in just three days. Most were “straight forward” in that airway management, atropine and 2-PAM were enough to stabilize them. We saw a 28-year old that was different though. Like most of the overdoses, he came in unconscious. Soon after intubating him, he became increasingly unstable. Thankfully he was in our bed with a monitor. An EKG confirmed what I saw on the monitor.
Before we were able to presumptively treat his hyperkalemia, he had a drop in his blood pressure, which did not respond to IV fluid boluses. As we were monitoring him, we lost pulses and had to initiate CPR. After about 10-15 minutes of CPR and in conjunction with treatment for his elevated potassium, we had return of spontaneous circulation. One day later, he was extubated and had the gospel presented to him. I have no idea what is going on in his life that led him to attempt to take his own life. Please be praying for him and our other patients, that they may hear, understand, and accept the truth…that they could see that no matter how dark the valley, the love of Jesus is enough to carry them through.
Wednesday was the end of my “normal” workweek. I was scheduled to be off Thursday and Friday and I was really looking forward to having some down time to relax and get work done around the house. Currently we have a team from EMI (Engineering Ministries International) here helping us plan for expansion of the hospital in all areas. One of the main areas of focus right now is casualty, which is woefully small for both our current and future needs. I was invited to participate in some of the planning meetings. It has been great working with them and seeing the possibilities of the future of casualty and the outpatient department at Tenwek. Please be praying for this team and for us as we seek the Lord’s direction for His hospital.
Friday was a bit of a crazy day. As the incoming director of the interns I was invited to join the current director at a CHAK (Christian Health Association of Kenya) meeting. In the several hours of meeting, I learned a great deal…including the fact that I have a great deal to learn. Please be praying for both me and the interns as we make the transition and as I attempt to take over the large responsibility of overseeing our CO and MO interns. While I was in the meeting Steph was busy stocking up on groceries and supplies for the next month or so. We are thankful for our friends (who watched the boys) and our driver (who managed to navigate Nairobi and get us home safely in the dark through a rain storm).
I have continued to read the book Finish The Mission and it has continued to be very challenging. The latest chapter discussed the Lord’s purpose and provision in the Lord’s Prayer. There were many excellent points that were brought up but here are a few. Missions is supposed to be from every nation to every nation. Every nation is a mission-sending nation. Every nation is a part of God’s global and eternal purposes. Every church and every Christian is a part of God’s global and eternal purposes. As part of these truths, we must be vigilant to invest our time and finances wisely. I’m not sure what that may look like for you. God may be calling you to share your faith with a family member or a co-worker. Maybe you are being called to short-term or even long-term missions. Whatever your calling, I have no doubt that if you are faithful….He will be as well.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
- Changing Seasons - September 4, 2016
- Well Done Good And Faithful Servants - May 2, 2016
- Looking Back….Looking Ahead - March 14, 2016
9 Comments
Elaine from Atlanta
Jun, 9, 2013We continue to pray for your family….
Ann
Jun, 9, 2013We are continuing to ptay for you all…
Rick and Carol
Jun, 9, 2013Thanks for your updates! We really enjoyed hearing about your safari adventure and the great pictures! We miss you all !! You have our love and prayers!!!
Miriam Wert
Jun, 10, 2013I love the idea of “daddy time” with your children, and I am sure they love it too. So often I think of what dads miss by not taking time to be with each child even if for only a few minutes at a time. Just BEING there is what counts. In the world today where it is far too easy for dads (and mothers) to be tempted to go out into the world and no longer with the children, it is easy to see what the children miss that can never be made up to them by anybody else. Thank you and Steph for caring so much for your children and for being an example of Godly parents. You truly honor God. Blessings to you.
Joanne Reed
Jun, 10, 2013Thank you for your blog. You are always so inspiring and make my faith stronger.
Happy Fathers day a week early!
June
Jun, 12, 2013Praying JUDE 2 …
Chris Russell
Jun, 16, 2013Aaron and Stephanie, You do not know me but I feel like I know you. Some history for you…I am a pastor’s kid (now a mom of 4 and wife of 16 years) and grew up in the Church. I know the Lord as personal Savior and am training our children to know Him, too. However, when the word “missionary” has been brought up, much like Paul in the Bible, I shut things down. The world is a big place and I have enough to worry about. Slowly, I have been being taught that this is a very selfish attitude. And although I do not feel called to be a missionary, I need to support them. A friend of a friend posted a prayer request when Hannah started to become seriously ill. You’re story hit home for me because, like you, we have 4 children all very similar in ages. My youngest is 2 weeks younger than Hannah. Your request was laid HEAVY on my heart and I began praying. I have logged on everyday since the beginning of March to follow your updates. I have been woken at night by my daughter, Joy, (hannah’s age) and your family has been laid on my heart. Weeping in prayer, I have lifted you up daily… from midnight cries to midday walks. I write this to say, as I’m sure you know, you’re being lifted to the throne of Grace on a daily basis. The words that continually are laid on my heart as I pray for you is “double measure of blessing”. I’m not quite sure what that means…maybe like Job as he lost all, he regained it 2fold…I don’t know. maybe you think I’m nuts. There have not been many times when I sense God speaking to me in this way. In fact, I can think of only 1 other time. I am sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I have not written you – wondering if the right words could be said or even read. But, it hasn’t stopped. So, I must obey and share.
Keep walking the walk. Keep sharing the Good News to those you come in contact with. Though our burdens may seem heavy here, they are temporary. Matthew 11:28-30 comes to mind.
Then, also, 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (PHILLIPS)
We wish you could see how all this is working out for your benefit, and how the more grace God gives, the more thanksgiving will redound to his glory. This is the reason why we never collapse. The outward man does indeed suffer wear and tear, but every day the inward man receives fresh strength. These little troubles (which are really so transitory) are winning for us a permanent, glorious and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain. For we are looking all the time not at the visible things but at the invisible. The visible things are transitory: it is the invisible things that are really permanent.
God bless you – RICHLY.
Thank you for sharing so openly your thoughts and most personal experiences. I look forward to seeing how God continues to use your experiences for HIS honor and glory. What Satan intended for ‘bad’ God works for the good of those who love Him.
In Christ Alone,
Chris Russell
Aaron Kelley
Jun, 16, 2013Thank you for your faithfulness in reaching out to us. Waking up today (father’s day) with the mix of happiness and grief, your message was very much needed. We look forward to seeing what the double measure of blessing may be. Nothing can or will ever replace Hannah but we know that wounds will be healed and promises will be kept. Thank you for your prayers and support!!
Jayne Kelley Wirrick
Jun, 17, 2013We did see a double rainbow!