Katy's First Day

Yesterday I started work at the hospital's pharmacy in the morning. Dr. Starke gave my dad and I a tour earlier and warned us that sometimes people get woozy walking around the hospital. I understood why. There are only 100 beds in the hospital, but they are admitting 20-25 people a day with the disease. They are lining up mattresses end to end down a hallway where patients lay, splayed out, too weak to move. 

I cut and counted pills yesterday morning for several hours. The powder of medication being cut sort of hangs in the air and there's a certain scent of it that is familiar to me because of the Dominican. I felt right at home there. Then I shadowed Dr. Starke, who was working in the surgery exam rooms. 

The first patient was a man who had a serious head injury five or six inches long up his forehead into his hair. Nothing had grown back together again, although he had two sutures. He had gauze plugs in the wound, which was not necrotic and did not bleed much. That was the first case I saw. There was a man with swollen fingers - possibly a tumor. Then a girl I thought must be pregnant. Couldn’t have been more than 13 or 14. When she lifted her dress I saw that she was pregnant not with child, but with a large tumor that made her appear as though she could be ready to deliver a baby any day. After that was a man with one leg. Then a man who’d broken his arm nine months ago, but the bones had never knit back together. His arm above the elbow was all noodly…like a joint that could move any direction.

After that was a  patient, maybe 10 years old, with a swollen chest and abdomen. An ultrasound showed massive cysts throughout his abdomen, eating up his liver. The doctors discussed whether or not the boy had cancer or a parasite, and how to treat him. They were all pouring over medical textbooks and discussing possible treatment plans. They finally decided to treat with antiparasitic meds and then drain the cysts as well. 

Then a woman with a wide, wobbly 12-inch scar down her belly. She had had cysts drained too and was there for a post-op exam. Then an elderly man with open wounds on his foot. His foot was swollen, and his wound oozed blood and puss, which was smeared along the floor as he dragged himself to his seat. Dozens of flies followed him, feasting on the rotting foot. I got a paper fan and insisted on fanning his foot. Flies carry diseases. They shouldn’t be eating a man alive.

It took just an hour to see more serious injuries and sicknesses than I've ever seen in my life. I'll give you today's report later. Gotta get back to the hospital. Much love to you all

Katy

Last Day of Clinic

Aug 7
Today was my last day of clinic.

The hardest part about going to Africa is saying good-bye.

I have been in Winnemucca for 7 years and have never been away for a full two weeks.  It is very difficult to get all my patient care responsibilities "tucked in",  all my clinic affairs tidied up and all my family issues in order.  I feel a lot of pressure to make sure that everything will be OK in all these area while I am gone.  Of course I know that will not be the case.  My regular day is dealing with all the ways that life tends to unravel around us.  Things are never OK for more than a minute.

However, it has been much easier knowing that I leave my patients in the extremely capable hands of Drs Perkinson and McIntyre.  It has been a great blessing to have these two excellent physicians to work alongside.  I also have an incredible staff to look after my clinic including:  Katherine, Lucy and Gaby.  It is a huge comfort to know that they will not drop the ball.  At the home front I have Robin, Peter and Mary keeping the fires burning(er I mean the AC on).  I couldn't ask for a more supportive family.

At dinner, little Mary shared this verse that she pasted up on the sliding glass window like a 5 year old:
"Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6)

God is sovereign and He is trustworthy.

So be of good Cheer

Brad

Visit from Mark

Aug 6:

It was very encouraging to have a visit from our pastor from Winnemucca Christian Fellowship, Mark Clendenen.  We enjoyed a good time of prayer and fellowship and he blessed us with a very generous gift from WCF.  I continue to be overwhelmed by how God has used WCF to be a blessing to me and to my family.  It is especially amazing how WCF proves their commitment to global missions through sacrificial giving and responding to needs of their brothers in Christ around the world.  I am very much looking forward to conveying this gift to SIM Galmi Hospital and helping to ensure it goes directly to where it can do the most good to help alleviate the suffering of those who come for help.

Thank you WCF

To God be the Glory

Serving together with you,

Brad

Sabbath

Sunday August 5,
One of the things I am most grateful for is God commanding me to Sabbath!

I also appreciate being commanded not to worry but to experience His peace and to be joyful!

These are the kind of rules and regulations that I like to put my whole heart into:)

What is your favorite commandment?
Brad

Stepping out in Faith

Katy and I are stepping out in faith to obey God's personal call on our lives to "do something" to serve the health needs of some of the neediest people on earth, people who are our "neighbors" according to Jesus' definition as outlined in his story of the Good Samaritan.  I am especially eager to visit and serve alongside my friend and medical school classmate, Joe Starke, who is the chief surgeon at Galmi Hospital.  We will be in the capital, Niamey,  by the end of this week and are asking for prayers for our final preparations, ministry opportunities, safety and closeness to God.
Thank you,  Brad Granath

11 days

Hi! My name is Katy. I'm 21 and a college student entering my senior year. Biology has been my main course of study, but I've especially enjoyed taking classes on philosophy, theology, and English as well. I'm considering a fifth year at my university, just to continue learning and taking classes because I love it so much.

I have past experience working in the medical field, although I haven't ever worked in a hospital. When I was nine, my entire family of six moved to the Dominican Republic for a year to do medical missions with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. We set up temporary clinics and distributed first aid and simple medications like ibuprofen, vitamins, antiparasitics, and antibiotics. Experiencing the developing world as a child was such a formational experience; it has directly affected my choice of schools, career, and classes, and given me a passion for service and social justice.

Since living in the DR, I've been back there once, and to Nicaragua. Both trips were medical mission trips. I also worked at my dad's clinic in rural Nevada for five years, and volunteered at a free clinic at a men's homeless shelter.

Health and the issues that influence it - affluence, water, nutrition, war, gender - are not a mystery. They are not a secret, they are not unknown, they are not even ambiguous. We know exactly what influences health and sickness, and we have cures and treatments for not only illness and disease, but we have cures and treatments for war, poverty, and discrimination. These are problems which we can solve, and while our actions must be thoughtful and meaningful, action must be taken.

We are leaving for Africa in 11 days, if you count today. It seems like our departure really snuck up on me. I thought I would have more time. To prepare, to learn about Niger, to learn French, to find support, to say goodbye to family and friends...I'm planning on coming back of course. But three weeks in Africa is a long time, and everyone wants to say goodbye. I wish everyone wanted to donate supplies to this hospital. But they have words and not supplies, and the words are good.