Earl and Rosemary in Cameroon

We have now been operating for the last 10 days and our surgeries have been going well.  The local OR crew of RNs and Nurse Anesthetists have done a great job for us.  The equipment we are using is very satisfactory and we also have our own surgical instruments and sutures we brought with us.
There are some things it would be nice to have that are lacking but they are not creating any significant problem.  Medical supplies and sutures are very expensive and often difficult to obtain even if they could be afforded. The staff here has learned to adapt and to make very good use of what is available.  We knew ahead of our coming of items to bring for them as well as for our own surgeries.  Thank God for modern communications that allow for rapid correspondence!  When Rosemary and I first started our volunteer work in Nepal in the 1980's there was only very limited telephone service that was almost impossible and the mail service which took 6 weeks each way.
What a change with the internet today. Even when it is often down or delayed it is lightning speed compared to that. 

HIV is very common here and we see patients here every day who are HIV+ and have already operated on a couple of them.  Of course we are careful to take appropriate precautions so the risk to us is low.  If we did get stuck by a needle we would have to take the antiviral drugs we brought with us as a prophylactic measure.

I will include a couple shots from the "Theater" as they refer to the OR here.

God Bless You All and we appreciate your prayers and support.

Rosemary, Nurse Canisius and me in OR with 4 year old burn patient

Pole stretcher assembly to move patient

Man with huge tumor on back of neck for 15 years