Wordless Wednesday

Wyatt!

Since the moment we arrived in Iowa, Lily Kate has been talking about her cousin, Wyatt. 

When we got to my parents house:

LK: Where is everybody?

Me: Who were you thinking would be here?

LK: Wyatt!

He lives in Missouri and his spring break starts tomorrow.   Thankfully we got to see him this afternoon.

He brought Bubble shooters!  They were a hit!



Wyatt & LK

 Before bed tonight, LK was making the rounds giving goodnight hugs, she started asking my dad about Herman the stuffed salmon that is hanging in the office.  When Dad caught Herman he was bigger than I was.  We had to compare and see if LK was taller than Herman.  What do you think? :)

Sweet Moments

GrandLes rocked Aubrey (and himself) to sleep

Great-grandma Mary and Aubrey (AJ was being very serious)

We're blowing bubbles...whoo...we're blowing bubbles (from SNL)

Cameroon Update #3

Er'body,

I hope you had a good night sleep.  I slept well, but I didn't sleep long enough.  I stayed up until about 2:30 watching the Heels game updates.  No one can say I'm not a true fan.  The good news (I found out this morning) is that the game on Sunday is at 12:15 EST, so it will be 5:15pm Sunday night for me.  I won't have to skip sleep to support my team.

I rounded this morning on the wards.  The doctors and residents all round on Saturday, just like the weekdays.  Another patient on the children's ward died overnight.  It was not unexpected but still sad.  She had HIV and meningitis.  She had developed intractable seizures.  God chose to heal her in a way we don't deal well with in the medical field.  We often see death as a failure.  In this case, it was plain to see God's mercy in removing her suffering. 

I have another patient with tetanus that I admitted yesterday.  This morning we discovered that he has fractures in his back, presumably due to the intense muscle spasms that tetanus causes.  You don't ever want to get tetanus....trust me.  He is doing a little better this morning but still looks incredibly uncomfortable.  Go get a tetanus booster now if you are due for one.

A couple of days ago, we admitted a 16-year-old girl with osteosarcoma of her distal left femur (arrogant doctor-speak for "just above the left knee").  Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that is difficult to treat, even in the States.  She had previously received 6 rounds of chemotherapy in an attempt to shrink the tumor, but with little response.  I had to be the one to tell her that she needed an amputation of nearly all of her left leg.  Although I am told other physicians, at some point, discussed this possibility with her, she sure seemed shocked by the news.  She was very upset, as anyone would be at the prospect of losing a limb.  There are more difficulties and consequences to an amputation in rural west Africa than there are in the U.S.  She undoubtedly faces a tough road ahead.  As she cried, I asked her if I could pray with her.  I immediately watched God's peace wash over her as I prayed (well, I didn't actually watch it....my eyes were closed.....but I felt it).  Please pray for her as she undergoes amputation today and then as she works to recover and heal.  The bright spot in this situation is that the hospital here actually has a prosthetic department.  That seems almost unheard of here, but after she heals from her operation, she may be able to be fitted with an artificial leg.

I am still very much enjoying my time here.  I miss Tracie and the girls terribly, but I am happy that God is giving me this time to serve His children in Cameroon.  I am so blessed to have an amazing wife that loves God and wants to serve Him.  She is making the real sacrifice during this time.  I have the easy part.  She is wrangling the girls without me.....and doing a great job doing it.  I have a hard time keeping them both happy and uninjured for the 30-minute trips Tracie takes to Target.  Please continue to pray for her as well.  We are really blessed and thankful to have parents and extended family who have helped tremendously in my absence.  God is good.

Tonight, there is going to be a super moon.  I don't know what that means, but don't miss it.  Email me if you figure it out.

Stephen

Cool Chicks

The Farm & Home store here has baby chicks and baby ducks each spring.







She was cheesing, until she realized there was a flower on her head.



GrandDebbie & GrandLes have been spoiling us rotten while we are in Iowa.  LK in her new tutu!

Blast from the Past

Like Andy in Toy Story 3 I bagged up several of my favorite toys and put them in the attic.  It has been really fun this week to get them out for Lily Kate and Aubrey to play with.

Clover Delilah (my Cabbage Patch's given name) and Lily Kate in matching crocheted outfits

We set up my old dollhouse.  I love remembering all the fun times I had with it and seeing Lily Kate play with it now.

Uncle Chuck & Aunt Dianne (my mom's sister) came over to visit today- they are amazing people!

The Bold and the Beautiful

The Butterflies came for Lily Kate's Birthday

Smilie Jane



Party like a Rockstar



Lily Kate turned 3!



With her 3 pancake (our family tradition)



Barbie Princess Ingrid painting faces

The Birthday Cousins- Katelyn is 6 years older than Lily Kate

Aubrey wanted her face painted too!

Princess Ingrid read Cinderella

After the dust settled- Isabella & Lily Kate enjoyed playing with Potato Heads

Pretty Pretty Princess

Party Prep- sprinkling the cupcakes!



Purple is GrandLes' color



Chillaxing

Most years I dread springing forward, but this year I couldn't wait for it.  The time change put us back to the time we were used to and it has been wonderful.  Here are some pics from our day today:

Dressed in their Sunday best

Grandebbie and Lily Kate making cupcakes for Family Birthday Bash (#3)

Washed her in the sink like a little baby

Worn out- AJ isn't a thumb sucker- she prefers these two fingers

Family Ties

We are getting to spend some time with my family in Iowa.  It is a wonderful blessing to be spoiled by them for a week and a half while here.  Lily Kate and Aubrey will be spoiled rotten when we return home.



Four generations- Great Grandma Mary, Gradpa Les, Mommy, Lily Kate & Aubrey



Out exploring with Grandebbie



Family Birthday Bash (#2)

Birthday bash #1 was Another Dora Party, #2 (pictured above) was with the VanHeeswyk's and #3 will be a Toy Story Birthday party on her actual birthday.  Sweet child asked me if she was going to be 4 at her next party :)

Went for a walk to the Elementary School Playground



It looked so gorgeous out- but man was it windy and cold!



Cameroon Update #2

Good afternoon.  I am writing this email to you from Cameroon Indoor Stadium.  That is what I just decided to name my little apartment because it is relatively small, kind of stinks, and seemed to have a lot more potential a week and a half ago. ;)  Go Heels!

But I digress....

It has been a busy and humbling week.  I have now completed my first full week on the pediatric wards here at the hospital.  At the beginning of my time here, I found myself a little unsure of whether I knew how to handle many of the clinical dilemmas I would face.  Now, having been here a week, I am quite sure that I absolutely cannot handle several of them.  That is a liberating and a humbling realization all at the same time.  I am seeing a lot of diagnoses here that are incredibly rare on a worldwide scale and unheard of in the U.S.  I have been able to diagnose several of these things, but, even so, the resources/medications here are just not sufficient to adequately treat them.  I don't say that as a knock against this hospital at all.  Remarkably superior medicine is practiced here in general, and it is likely one of the best hospitals in the whole of Cameroon.  There are just limitations to what we can offer here.

That is where the frustrating and encouraging part comes in.  God tells us clearly (through Paul) in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His grace is sufficient and that His strength is perfected in weakness.  That promise comes to life for me here.  I have more than enough weakness to go around.  So many times in the States, we want to take credit for things when they go well.  We are quick to think that WE are the reason a certain patient got better.  We think WE saved them from a brush with death and put them on the road to recovery.  WE are so full of pride, it must make God want to puke.

When a patient gets better or begins to recover here in Cameroon, I more often think that the patient has been healed in spite of me, rather than because of me.  When I realize how woefully inadequate I am and yet a patient lives and does well, I am forced to recognize that only God can heal.  He doesn't NEED me to make sick people well.  He CHOOSES to ALLOW me to join Him at work and to work through me.  If a realization like that doesn't put me flat on my face, I don't know what will.

And, please don't get me wrong...I am no more adequate when practicing medicine in the U.S.  I just think I am.  It's just in Cameroon, the truth regarding my inadequacy is more easily seen.  But, it is okay.  God does not call us to be adequate.  He calls us to be obedient.  He does the hard part.  He just wants us to be available.  Please pray that I would be available for God to use in the lives of the Cameroonians and missionaries I meet here.  Please also pray that God would constantly remind me from where my strength comes.

I have really enjoyed getting to know my neighbors and the hospital staff.  Cameroonians are very patient and very welcoming.  I feel honored to have the chance to serve them.  Thanks for helping to make that possible.

This is a beautiful country.  I am planning to do a little more hiking this afternoon.  I will try to send a picture or two soon if I can.  Rest assured that I will also be checking the ACC tournament scores and pulling for the Heels from several time zones away.

I love you all and appreciate you partnering with me in this ("this" meaning my mission trip to Cameroon....not rooting for the Tarheels).

I'd love to hear from you if you get a chance.  Have a great weekend.

Stephen

P.S. -  If you are Duke fan reading this email, I am sorry.

Cameroon Update #1

Hi Everyone

It is sort of tough to know where to start since so much has happened  in the last few days.  I will just try to summarize and fill in the  details in person later.

Today was my first day of work on the peds wards.  The day started  with chapel service at 6:45 this morning.  I was wide-awake and on time.....probably because I woke up at 4:30am.  I did go to sleep at  8:40 last night so that may have something to do with it.  At the end  of chapel, I was introduced to the hospital and I had to give a short speech.  This surprised me a little but shouldn't have at all.  It's  an Africa thing.

After rounds, we went to morning report.  The hospital here has  developed a residency program to train new doctors better.  It's  actually a fairly novel concept here as most medical graduates just go  straight into practice....often not very good practice.  The  missionaries here have put together residency programs in internal  medicine and surgery that are very similar to what we do in the States  only on a much smaller scale. Pretty awesome if you ask me.

After breakfast, I rounded with one of the Cameroonian residents in  the pediatric ward.  There were 20 beds all filled with 20 patients.   There was pretty wide range of disease processes today from  malnutrition to HIV to tuberculosis to femur fractures (don't let your  children climb trees in Africa....trust me).  There were several  things I commonly treat in the States and a lot that I never treat.  I  had to rely on the Cameroonian resident on several of those things,  but he was great.  There are still very frustrating cases that would  be very easily prevented if these kids and their parents had access to  the healthcare resources we take for granted everyday.  All in all,  it's a very humbling experience.

Tomorrow is Saturday so I may try go hiking around the hospital in the afternoon.  This is easily the most picturesque setting EVER for a mission hospital.  The surrounding area is very rural and extremely  poor, but the backdrop is crazy beautiful.  We are in the northwest  highlands of the country, and the hospital is nestled into a mountain  side.  The view is unreal.  I will take some pictures but will  probably have to wait until I get back to show them to you.

Please continue to pray for wisdom for me in making medical decisions (specifically in situations where my experience is slim to  nonexistant). Please also pray that I'll be an encouragement to the  other missionaries here.  There is a new OB from Texas who was  previously serving in Ghana who arrived the same day I did with his  family.  He is here to start an OB/Gyn residency, and his family is  trying to get settled.  Please pray for them as well.  They have a  middle school-aged son and 2 girls similar in age to Lily Kate and  Aubrey.

I'll try to write more soon.

Thanks again for your prayers and support.

Stephen

Like a Kid in a Candy Shoppe

Cheerio Mate

Today we stayed in our pjs until lunch time.  About once a month we need a day like that!  Lily Kate enjoyed feeding Aubrey Cheerios and Reese enjoyed the spillage.

Miss Congeniality

Aubrey is really starting to show some personality.  She loves people and will talk/jabber at you until you acknowledge her.  Here are some candids from this week: