Surgeries have begun...
Greetings from Dakar, Senegal...
The Africa Mercy is now two weeks into its 2022 surgical schedule in Dakar, Senegal. It has been such a joy to see the ship doing what it was made to be doing. From hospital staff filling the dining room, to patients filling the dock, there is a buzz in the air and it is an honor to be a part of it.
The surgical schedule is blocked out by the type of surgery according to which surgeons are currently volunteering. For instance, the current surgeries being performed are maxillo-facial and women’s health.
 |
| Ava got to experience "life in the OR" during the hospital tour. The following day the OR went sterile to prepare for the patients. |
Maxillo-Facial Surgeries...
Maxillo-facial surgeries have been performed on Mercy Ships since 1982 and typically produce some of the most profound before and after photos. The conditions seen are very rare in developed nations, or are dealt with immediately, and do not cause as pronounced disfigurement and death. The first surgery this field service was a women in her 20’s with a cleft lip. Many are not as lucky to make it to her age when dealing with a cleft lip, as it can cause infection and malnourishment. This is a surgery done at three months of age in the US. The woman has dealt with the shame and embarrassment of disfigurement for over 20 years. Other common maxillo-facial surgeries performed on the ship are: cleft palates, encephalocele, noma, bony tumors requiring mandibulectomy/maxillectomy, soft tumors, parotid gland tumors, and TMJ ankylosis. Below you can see pictures of patients from previous field services who have received these lifesaving surgeries. So far this field service, there are over 260 patients scheduled for maxillo-facial surgeries.
 |
| Houleye was part of Senegal Part 1 in 2020. She was five years old when Mercy Ships removed her facial tumor. |
 |
| Gnilane was also a part of Senegal Part 1. She was 25 when she had a mandible tumor removed. |
 |
| Aminata was also a part of Senegal Part 1. She was eight years old when she received her cleft lip repair. |
Women's Health Surgeries...
Women’s health surgeries also include conditions that are rare in developed nations. Obstetric fistula repairs are one of the most prevalent women’s health surgeries performed onboard. Of the 64 scheduled women’s health surgeries scheduled this field service, close to 50 of them are fistula repairs. An obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening in the female anatomy causing the leakage of urine or feces or both. They are a result of prolonged, obstructed labor without timely medical/surgical care; most often, the labor ends with a stillborn baby. It is estimated that over one million women in Africa and Asia suffer from untreated fistulas. In Senegal alone, approximately 25% of women have no trained birth attendant. Due to cultural norms, their is also a high adolescent birth rate, which also increases the risk of these fistulas.
The social stigma surrounding this condition is heartbreaking, not to mention that most women lose their baby during the delivery. Many of these women are shunned by their family and community, some have not been touched in years. They have no hope of ever returning to a normal life of love, acceptance, and joy. They often work alone, eat alone, are not allowed to cook for anyone else, and sleep in separate huts. The surgical repair usually only takes about two hours. For the majority of patients it is a simple fix; with a first time surgical success rate of 88-90%.
Once the patients have healed and are ready for discharge, Mercy Ships will invite them to participate in a dress ceremony. Pre-COVID, this looked like a party with patients, providers, and even some crew singing, dancing, celebrating, and modeling a new dress gifted from the ship. With COVID restrictions high, it won’t look exactly the same this year; however, they will still receive a new dress to mark this new chapter of their life and many reminders that they are loved.
 |
| A beautiful photo of our long-time hospital chaplain, Clementine, showing love to a patient during a dress ceremony from a past field service. |
Prayer Requests...
We are so grateful to get to be a part of these patient’s lives. In a country that is 96% Muslim, we pray that they will see us as the hands and feet of Jesus, and recognize him as God’s son and our savior. I look forward to sharing before and after photos of the patients that are currently on board with us as they become available.
Patients:
-- Pray they remain COVID free and have safe travels to the ship (some of them have to travel for days to get here).
--Pray for successful surgeries and that they can see the love of Jesus through our words and actions.
Crew:
--Pray that COVID stays off the ship.
--Pray for safety as we explore this incredible country.
--Pray that we can share the love of Jesus in our words and deeds to those on and off the ship.
Support us...
 |
| From our cabin, we can view the dock where the patients wait for their appointments. Caleb saw a little girl playing with an airplane and proceeded to show her his airplane. |
 |
| Ava and her classmate are getting a lesson in blood draws with an orange during the hospital tour. |
 |
| One of our fun weekend outings to Lake Retba (The Pink Lake) outside of Dakar. It is one of eight naturally occuring pink lakes in the world. It gets its color from a naturally occuring algae, as well as a high salt content. Salt is harvested from this shallow lake every day by locals. |
 |
| A bonus on our Pink Lake trip was a camel ride! |
 |
| Caleb living his best life at the Pink Lake on a four wheeler ride with Daddy. He was so excited to "beat the camels"! |
 |
| The Door of No Return Goree Island is a short ferry ride from Dakar. It was the final stop for 100's of thousands of Africans who entered the slave trade. It was a sobering place to be, but also encouraging to see an accurate recounting of the history of slavery. The locals have preserved this beautiful island so we may not forget. |
 |
| Goree Island is now filled with many talented artisans and musicians. This gentleman demonstrated a sand painting with various colors of sand from around Africa. |
 |
| A huge baobab tree on the island. Once was thought to be filled with spirits and was the site of many animal sacrifices. The baobab tree is now recognized internationally for its numerous uses, from seed, to leaves, to fruit. |
 |
| Goree Island had the most beautiful architecture I've seen in Africa. You will notice the girls and I always in skirts or long pants when off the ship. The Senegalese culture, being predominantly Muslim, can take offense to some types of clothing wear, including that which reveals the knees. |
Comments
Post a Comment