Shanksteps #119
WARNING: Not for young readers
He was in pain. He had had an infection of his scrotum for about 10 days that had been neglected. The smell in the ER was rank, with pus. His cloths were wet in the crotch and down his pants legs. He was dirty all over and his cloths were torn and ragged. His wife, daughter and a couple neighbors brought him in to the hospital after convincing him to let them bring him in. The nurse said that his testicles were free hanging without skin. So I decided to take a look in the OR where I could
actually debride what I needed to. They wheeled him to the OR and leaving a trail of foul smelling liquid along the way. I put on my mask and cap to help cut down the stench and removed his cloths on the OR table. Every day there are things unexpected or new. Today it was that the scrotum, or what was left of the infected skin, and the penile shaft were all averted and hanging but still attached to the glands of the penis. The testicles that had been denuded in the process and were free hanging,
held on by the spermatic cord and associated structures. I completed the debridement and dressing changes were done daily. This past week he decided to go ahead with the skin graft I have been wanting to do. He sold one of his goats and had enough money to do the surgery.
At this surgery I attempted to place a Foley urine catheter without success. He had a stricture forming mid penis. I used urethral dilators to dilate the urethra. During the process the scarring cracked and the foley exposed mid shaft. I took a skin graft from his right thigh, meshed it to increase it’s coverage and placed it over the denuded are of his pubis, scrotum, and penile shaft. He currently has about 90% take and I pray that he heals his urethral injury so that he is able to have
normal urine flow.
In past emails we discussed an gentleman with the name of Gudaidai. He was the man here at the hospital for about 2 months that all our treatments did not take away his abdominal pain. It was so intense that he stopped eating and went from about 120 lbs to about 85 lbs. He wanted to die and asked everyone to leave him at the hospital to die. His wife left him out of discouragement. We had been praying for him individually. We got a group of the hospital workers together and prayed earnestly
for his healing. God healed him over the next three days and he went home with almost no abdominal pain. He came back to see us again today. He is a new man. He has regained weight and walks with a lively step. He know God has healed him and he is attending a Christian church in his home village. We thank God for his miraculous works amongst us. We are very blessed to see His working every now and then in a very direct way, often when all hope is nearly lost, including for us! We praise Him
for His leading. Please pray that He continue to guide us in very clear ways as it is very hard to live here and continue the constant daily battle with patients, with people, and ultimately with the devil! Thanks for those of you who pray for us daily, we really need it. Greg
Shanksteps #119