Blog Dec 25, 2017

Christmas has passed and the grandkids all had fun opening their presents.   Christmas is somewhat low key here in Chad.  New Year's is the main holiday.  But it is getting "cold" down in the low 60's.  
This past weekend has been busy with maternity cases.  The doctors at the other hospitals in Lai and Kelo apparently were not working even though there are a lot more of them than of us.  I think there are about 6 doctors in each place government hospitals but they are on salary and no incentive to work  and are not mission oriented.  We had 7 c-sections this past week about equal from each place with one being our patient from before.   Two were for ruptured uterus, one abruptio placenta with severe bleeding, one for placenta previa with severe bleeding, one for ecclampsia and baby with severe hydrocephalus, one for severe small baby but good baby, and one for prolonged labor but got here too late and baby died after delivery.   So not a good weekend with only one good baby out of those.  
We have had a lot of prostatectomies and urethral strictures and bladder stones this past two weeks.  Overall business at the hospital has increased a lot this past month with a lot of hernias being done and various other things as well.  We have had two large psoas abcesses  that we drained.  We reduced a dislocation of a jaw.  A boy fell from a mango tree and has two broken arms.  A drunk lady  had an accident on a motorcycle and had an open fracture tibia-fibula which I could have fixed easily with a SIGN nail (an intramedullary rod system that does not require an x-ray to do) but the family took her apparently as usual to the local "traditional healer" (witch doctor) by morning so she probably will lose her leg.  
Greg Shank M.D. was here the past 3 weeks.  He is a surgeon from Lakeside, Ore that has spent 5 years previously in Koza, Cameroon so he knows the language and ways of this part of the world.  He has been a great help so I could do some other things.   Christian Stoletnly M.D. our surgeon from Argentina is really stepping in and doing well.  I still help on some of the bigger cases and my "experienced fingers" still help some in diagnosis.  I have been working some in getting a house ready for a new doctor that is coming.   Getting the house ready means doing electrician and plumbing work and directing some other work being done.  Sara Balensky M.D. a family practice with 1 year OB fellowship will be arriving next week.   She has been in France for language school the past 3 months.  
We trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas and remembering the real reason.  Surely Jesus is returning soon as  you see all the events that are transpiring.   May the New Year bring joy and happiness to all and closer to Jesus and to each other..
Our emails are drbland42@gmail.com and dfbland01@gmail.com.  
Love,

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

Blog Dec 12, 2017

The ordeal with the rabid cat is over and so far all the kids are ok except now they are all recovering from malaria taking their quinine,  Danae is still in the USA preparing for her oral Ob-Gyn boards which will be Jan 8.   Continue to pray that the boards will go well.
Christmas this year will find us here in Chad with Olen and Lyol, Zane, Addison, and Juniper but Danae will be in the USA.   Danita, Edwin and Janelle and families will meet at Janelle's Dec 22 in OKC.   It does not seem possible that it is almost Christmas.   It is 100F days and in 60's nights so does not feel like Christmas.   New Year is more of a holiday here.   
Dr. Greg Shank surgeon is here until Dec 21.   He previously had served 5 years in Koza, Cameroon.   We have Christian Stoletnly a new surgeon from Argentina here for one year hopefully more.  Maybe I can sort of relax part of the time and do some other projects.   Still have maternity to do.   The hospital is getting more busy now with more surgeries to do now that rice harvest is about over and people have some money and can get their elective surgeries done.   We have a variety being done such as bladder stone, prostate, urethra stricture, abd hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy, La Fort procedure, myomectomy, c-section, curettage for incomplete miscarriage, some intestinal resections, strangulated hernia, repair typhoid perforation, repair perforated gastric ulcer, large neck mass, anal fistulectomy, leg amputation or cancer, finger or toe amputation for cancer or severe infection, psoas abcess, large lipoma,  lots of hernias of various kinds, and hydrocelectomies.   We have something new almost daily for Christian to see.   We had one mother die after finally having a live baby after having 5 dead ones.   She developed severe heart failure with normal blood pressure and almost no edema except at the end
Today i operated on hernias on the old chief from Moundgala which is the village where we have a nice group studying the Bible and this past week they signed a paper and marked off the land that is to be "given forever" for a church to be there.   Nice site next to the school and up a little from where water comes out of the ground into a swamp and the "hippo river".   The chief is almost as old as I am.   He comes to the Bible study and church.  I showed the "Jesus movie" in the local language Sunday night there but the devil did not like it.   When we got there the security system on the Toyota 4 runner would not disarm so the lights were flashing and the horn blaring, disconnected the battery so stopped the noise as nothing else seemed to work.   (It would finally stop after a minute or two so was able to drive it home but still would not disarm but it finally disarmed next day at home)   Then it was also market day and there were several that had had too much alcohol and were making lots of noise and fighting and distracting people but finally some were able to quiet them and get them away.   The generator and screen and computor worked fine and showed the movie to about 250 people.   I don't know how many were able to listen to it.   Next time it will not be same night as market day.   We only show the first hour (half) the next time the other part.   Also broke a lens filter on my camera at the same time.   Hopefully no more problems.   There are several different groups in different villages that are trying to grow.   Continue to pray for the mission projects and for the hospital.   
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