Nov. 21, 2014

"Fall is in the air". The mangoes are beginning new growth and blooming and the old leaves are falling off. There is more dust in the air and it is cooling down so now it is only low 90's day and low 60's early morning. The ground is dry and hard. Rice harvest is well under way and the millet and sorghum grain has been done. They should be picking cotton soon. Last year we had some rain in November but there has been none this year.

The fuel situation continues about the same. There is no internet or phone much of the time, perhaps related to lack of fuel for the cell towers so don't know when you can read this. The hospital has enough diesel to last for some time. I just bought gasoline 20L for 1100 cfa per liter or about $8.80 per gallon, so slightly improved.

The surgery schedule is still somewhat slow but have had some interesting ones. We had a torsion of a 12 lb ovarian cyst. Also two different ones with cancer of their mid thigh. Both were resectible. Both were anterior and medial so was difficult to remove but both have full function of their legs and feet now which was amazing. No pathology to send to so don't know what kind they were. One especially was deep inside the muscle. Took about 2 liters from a little girl's chest a few days ago. She still has the chest tube but seems to be breathing better. Probably related to tuberculosis. Her relatives say that some of their cows are dying with a cough and maybe have tbc. We have the girl on tbc meds now. We had a little 10-yr-old boy that was having vomiting after eating but could keep water down. We could feel a mass in his mid abdomen and at surgery his mesentery was full of tumor and partially obstructing his first part of intestine. We dilated the obstructed area somewhat but unable to resect the whole mesentery. Perhaps it will respond to cyclophosphomide which is all we have to offer.

Hope all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend in the US with lots to eat and have family and friends and football. We all have lots to be thankful for especially all our gifts from our Heavenly Father.

Our emails are drbland@sbcglobal.net and dfbland01@gmail.com

Your tax deductible gift can be sent to the Jay Seventh Day Adventist Church, Jay, Okla.. 74346 or to Adventist Health International, Loma Linda, Calif 92505 Either should be marked "Bere Hospital Project"

Love, Rollin and Dolores Bland

Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile, Chad, Afrique

Blog www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com