Blog 23 Oct 2016

We have been back in Chad over 2 weeks and have been busy although not sure what has been accomplished some times.   Our hospital census has been 80-90 esp this past week.  The government employees have not been paid all their salaries so post office, hospital and health care, courts and various government offices are on strike.   Of course the military is getting paid so they are not on strike and there are still many military check points.  Some of our increased census from that and some from this time of year when they are harvesting their crops and have a little more money to spend.   Some of you saw some of our pictures from Europe on Facebook that Dolores posted.  
It has not rained more than a few drops this month and we don't expect any until next May.  It has been in the 90's most days and 80's at night.   The rice crop does not look very good as rainy season was not as much as usual.   Everything is drying up rapidly.  
A few days ago we had a lady with acute abdomen 3 days post partum and resembled a ruptured uterus but when we opened, the entire intestine appeared dead at first but more exam revealed that it was a volvulus (twisted bowel so no circulation) involving the entire superior mesenteric pedicle.   We took out the dead intestine and reconnected the jejunum to the terminal ilium (upper intestine to the lower part).   So far she is doing well but not sure what will happen with the "short bowel syndrome".   We had a 10 yr girl with 3 typhoid perforations and abdomen full of bowel contents.   We repaired and irrigated a lot and so far it appears that she will live.   We have had some bladder stones one that was 6-7 cm (about 2.5 inches) diameter.  We took out a prostate that was same size as my fist and so far doing ok.   We did a BKA (below knee amputation) on an old man that previously had a partial foot amputation but now foot all dead.   He has given up and refuses to eat or drink.   We have had a ruptured uterus recently.   Danae and I did a vesico vaginal fistula (hole from bladder to vagina) repair that was quite challenging.   We always do those together.  
The brakes went out on our Toyota pickup Sab while I was driving back from branch Sab School.  Today I took it apart and found that the wheel cylinder and caliper are bad.  The sandy much and water really does a number on vehicles.  IT only has 45000 km (about 28000 miles)   I need to check all the other wheels also.  
We have two family practice doctors here from Juneau, Alaska for this week.   They were in Moundou last week.  One of them had been here before.  
Our emails are drbland42@gmail.com and dfbland01@gmail.com  
My yahoo account got messed up and can no longer access it.  
Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique
Blog  www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com

Arrive

We have arrived in Bere. The rainy season is about over and the roads are drying up although we did have one water hole in the road that the water went over the hood of the pickup. 

It is 95 today. It probably got down to 90 last night in NDJamena. We left Jay Monday afternoon and drove to OKC and stayed at Janelle's place; then Bob Schaefer took us to the airport in OKC Tues. We arrived in WDC 9:00 pm stayed in Holiday Inn and left Wed on Ethiopian Airlines arriving in NDJamena via Addis Ababa Thur noon. We stayed overnight in NDJ after changing some money to cfa (francs) and doing some shopping.  We took the bus today Friday Oct 7 to Kelo where Olen met us, and brought us to Bere.   

The trip was unremarkable other than TSA (probably the one in WDC) went through at least two of our suitcases spilling nuts out of a double bagged sack etc all through the clothes and did'nt close the duffle bag properly. Not sure if much is missing but seems like most things are present. Of course we had to pay for extra baggage (two each allowed for international) $200 each for two plus $200 for the extra 16 lbs that one was overweight. 

We are in good health and Olen and Danae and kids are ok now also.  All government employees except the military are on strike so schools and hospitals etc are closed except non-government ones. The strike is because the government has not paid them and says there is not enough money. Don't know how long that will last. Could get interesting.  

They say the rains were late coming so the rice crop is spotty. Some fields look ok and some not. 

They say the problems with the "prefet" are being resolved. He has irritated enough people including his superiors so maybe they will get rid of him or transfer him somewhere else. 

Please note that my email has changed to: drbland42@gmail.com  
Thanks for your prayers
Rollin and Dolores Bland
Hôpital Adventiste de Bere
52 Boîte Postale
Kelo, Chad, Africa