Shanksteps west Africa 2026 #10
On rounds there was an uproar with the two nurses at work. The family of one patient was demanding that the oxygen be removed from her. It was a medical patient so the other doctor was responsible, not the surgeon I was rounding with. But he decided to see about what was happening because they were insistent. We walked to that room and found a woman with an oxygen concentrator. There were young men and a few women that were heated in their insistence of the oxygen being removed. We asked who the husband was and sent everyone else out of the room. They were still trying to make their wishes known from the doorway. We asked if he was the husband and he was so we asked if he wanted the oxygen removed? No answer. There was even more insistent talking from the door. The other surgeon asked who was the responsible person for her and the people outside said the older man outside was. So he brought the older man in and asked him. He said to remove the oxygen. So the surgeon asked him to sign a paper he would draw up taking responsibility for the likely decline and death of the woman. So he wrote out a legal paper and this guy signed it, then the nurses went and took off the oxygen. After rounds we heard that the husband had come and said they were taking the woman home to die, and packing up the car. He said he didn’t want her to leave but to stay and be treated, but that her older brother was the one in charge in their culture so they were leaving. The nurse said that in her and the local culture it would be the husbands decision not an older brother or father of the woman. But that was culturally what it was for this woman. So they left with her.
Another patient had fever and headache. He may have malaria, but there is no lab technician over the weekend so it wasn’t tested. I asked whether we should treat empirically, and they said we will wait till Monday if symptoms persist then do testing then. Because the malaria testing and treatment is provided free by the government and so they need a positive test to treat with the free meds.
Sunday I went in to do rounds before we went to the local church. And both entrances to the hospital were chained and locked shut. So I guess no rounds before hand… I need to think of this as a day or outpatient surgicenter with the ability to stay overnight. As on Sunday, there would be no pharmacy, nor cashier, nor lab. So no practical care other than what was already prescribed and at their beside.
I went to the adult church and Audrey to the children’s church. This week was similar to last week, in worshiping God. The song service was exuberant and had the pastors wife leading and a group of three other young women and two young men. The volume of the microphones was turned way up, and as I walked up to the church I could hear the singing going on from a few hundred feet away. The drummer was playing the set of drums and another playing a round wooden drum topped with an animal skin. The surgeon was playing an electric guitar at a low level supporting the boisterous singing. There was singing and dancing before the Lord and smiles all around. It’s unlike any church service I’ve been in.
The sermon was on the transforming power of God in the life of Saul, the persecutor of Jesus followers to Paul the apostle who preached Jesus to all the known world of the time to Jews and to Gentiles. The Paul who wrote many books of the New Testament. What a transformation Jesus brought in his life on the road to Damascus (noted in Acts). During the offering, as the song was being sung, everyone was released by a deacon by rows and filed up to drop their offering in the basket up front, then they continued back to their row. As they sang we filed out of the church shaking the hand of the pastor and of the person who gave the sermon. This afternoon I finished the book about an African bush doctor “To Africa with Love”. Found another one of interest called “Hearts of Fire” Eight women in the underground church and their stories of costly faith. So I’m glad the guesthouse has some good books to read in down time.
Aud here: I was invited to attend the children’s church (church school) today by the surgeon’s wife who is the teacher. What a huge blessing to see 57 youngsters (age 10-18) all excited, joyful and praising God. There is a children’s festival coming up and the kids were learning new songs and given speaking parts for the festival. I was able to participate in learning a new song in English and one in in French. I’ll attach little snippets of some of the songs for your listening pleasure.
We were visited tonight by the pastor and his wife, Deborah, who has been cooking all of the delicious meals for us. It was nice to be able to just hang out for a little bit. Afterward we went to visit the surgeon and his wife and son to just hang out with them for a short while. Tomorrow will be our last work day here. Then on Tuesday we start the long trip home.
I hope you enjoy hearing the kiddos as much as I did.