Blog Oct 15, 2017

Today we did a long surgery a laparotomy for a strangulated internal hernia with necrotic sigmoid colon and a necrotic terminal ilium (about a meter) that had to be resected.   Last week in the same day we had two cancers that were not resectable.  One was to be a bladder stone but turned out to be a large cancer  and the other was a nonresectable cancer of the cecum already too far spread.  Both patients were teen agers.  I amputated the first toe and metatarsal for a dead toe a few days ago.  Tomorrow we have another amputation for cancer of the lower leg.  We had a huge molar pregnancy that was about size of 5 month pregnancy 3 weeks ago but now the uterus has not decreased as  much as it should so she probably needs a hysterectomy.   She already has 5 kids./  
Yesterday was a long day.   I got up at 0600 to go pick up some people for baptism from a group that was only 17 km away but took at least an hour each way.   Of course they were not ready to go when I got there.  Here in Bere they were having a district meeting for several churches and groups around here.   They had a baptism (we had to transport to the river) and Sabbath School and church in the morning (Olen was preaching for church) and also pastor appreciation day and food and cash etc were brought for the pastor.   I hauled it to his house during the "lunch break" then there was foot washing and communion in the afternoon which usually takes about 2 hours.   Then I took those people back to Delbian another hour each way.  It is peanut (groundnut) harvest time so pastor got lots of that.  
We finished mowing the "lawn" a few days ago.  It probably won't need it again before next June or July as dry season seems to have begun in earnest although did get 0.4 inches a few days ago.   It will take a while longer before the water holes in the "roads" dry up.
Events are transpiring all around the world.   Huge shooting massacre in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Huge wild fires with lots of deaths in California.  Russia is moving tanks and artillery into Serbia (we were there last year).  Venezuela is talking war with the USA.  North Korea keeps threatening with its nuclear capability.   Syria, Iran and Israel are on the edge.   Saudia Arabia is getting "defense material" from Russia.  A large truck bomb in Somalia.  A large hurricane heading to Ireland!!!   Who knows what President Trump0 will do besides twitter.   
Our emails are  drbland42@gmail.com and dfbland01@gmail.com  

Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique

Blog Oct 1, 2017

We have made it to the exclusive travel restriction travel ban club.  Trump put Chad in with North Korea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yeman, Syria, and Venezuela.   He dropped Sudan from the list.  We think it primarily restricts people from those countries from entering the USA.  We don't think it affects us.   There have been protests in Chad and the Chadian radio said something about the American embassy being closed but we have checked and it is not true.   We hear that there was an incident that a Chadian flew a plane with weapons for ISIS somewhere from Russia and not sure what all is involved so now the ban.   There could be repercussions later but don't know.  So far as we know the ones that already have visas etc are not affected so our replacements should be able to get here ok.   It would not affect the surgeon coming from Argentina anyway.   It is not clear what all the restrictions are for Chad yet.   
Rainy season from almost daily rains has totally shut off the past two weeks so the flood waters are receding.  Only one place now requiring a canoe to get from Kelo to Bere.  Vehicle travel should be able to go soon although will be deep water holes.   Hopefully the rains will not come much more so people can get to the hospital and also be able to harvest their crops esp rice before long.   September has been one of the slowest months for a long time for the hospital.   It should be picking up before long we hope.   We have had 2 with bladder stones, two prostatectomies,  a strangulated hernia with dead bowel resection,  a tubal abcess  and some routine hernias in the past 2 weeks.   
Our emails are drbland42@gmail.com and  dfbland01@gmail.com   
Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique
Blog  www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com