Amsterdam to Tenwek

Hi Everyone,

No time to load photos yet, but I will add them as I get the time.  

There were no electrical outlets in the Amsterdam airport and of course my battery was about to run out.  I was extremely disappointed that I couldn't post any of our photos from Amsterdam, but very thankful that when I typed the quick update and sent it to publish on the blog it went through successfully before the computer died completely.  I don't mean to put too much importance/emphasis on the blog, but its kind of a huge responsibbilitiy and there's so many family and friends following along back home I kind of feel a responsibility to keep you all updated.

Our flight from Amsterdam was about 9 hours and no one really knows who's time zone any of us are on, we're just trying to get as much sleep as possible on the flights so we can hit the ground running whenever we land.  We left Amsterdam around 9 pm or so and landed in Nairobi shortly before 7 am Nairobi time.  There were no issues at the airport at all.  We were all able to get through the VISA counter and customs without any problem at all.

Our Samaritan's Purse drivers were there waiting for us with huge smiles holding up a VANDERBILT CARDIAC TEAM sign, Their names were Onesmus and Sammy.  It was a bright sunny day in Nairobi, very warm with clear blue skies and the beautiful white clouds that remind us all of Kenya.  I was able to take photos in the Kenyatta airport in Nairobi for the first time which was kind of cool. We've always been told it wasn't permitted and I certainly didn't think it would be allowed on this trip with all the terrorist issues we've been hearing about.  But thankfully, there were no problems whatsoever and we were  able to get our bags packed on a truck and board quite a nice bus for the 4 hour trip to Tenwek Hospital.

Before leaving Nairobi we made a stop at a "supermarket" to pick up some munchies and drinks after we were checked with a metal detector at the entrance to the store.  The first purchase I made was a "Fanta Orange", my drink of choice while in Kenya.  Once on the road we had a really nice drive to Tenwek.  The countryside is so beautiful and the longer we were on the road the more desolate the surroundings become.  We passed through all the same small towns and I'm always so fascinated with the culture and the daily activities...

Women and children walking down the side of the road some without shoes carrying bags of charcoal that are as big as they are that they've processed to sell.  Walking miles to take it to market.  I was able to sit in the front seat with Sammy as we drove and I asked him questions non-stop about everything I was seeing out the window in front of us.  I took notes for posting later on (I'm in the OR with our first patient on the table at the moment and wanted to just get some word off to all of you) but can't refer to them now.  Later on I'll add them in if I have the time.

Children as young as 10 years old were herding cattle along the road and out in the Mara.  Sammy said the children typically herd the cattle.  When I asked who did it when they were in school, Sammy said these people really don't see the need to go to school since the cattle are their livlihood and taking care of them is their top priority.  As the children grow, the herd will be their income and will be used as a dowery to give to the father of the woman they decide to marry.  Of course, I needed to know how many cattle it took to get a wife....  Sammy said anywhere from 10 to 15 or as many as 50.  It all depended on the father. 

Homes along the road were constructed of mud, I was told the woman build the homes.  When I inquired what happened when it rained, Sammy said if the roof is not "good" and the rain gets to the sides of the house, they will need to "fix it".  Although I knew the answer to my next question, I wanted to know if there was any electrical or running water in any of these homes.  Sammy just laughed.  That is only for the rich people that live in the city.  Even when you have running water, it does not work all the time.  Their homes are lit by candles and kerosene lamps. 

Then Sammy asked me what the hardest thing was that I ever had to do.  How could anyone from the Western culture even begin to answer a question of that magnitude when you've just seen the manner in which these people live their daily lives.  Believe me, I had already gone over my life vs. theirs during the preceding hours on the road.  Their way of life is unimaginable to me.  Sammy said if the children would lose any of their fathers livestock while tending to it, they knew better than to come home without it.  They are expected to find the livestock - that's all there is to it.

The only thing I could come up with to respond to Sammy was to explain what my chores were at home as I was growing up on the farm.  Thankfully I had something from which to squeak out an answer.  Of course, nothing I've ever had to do or was exposed to even compared to what was out in front of us on the road directly in front of our vehicle, and Sammy was diplomatic enough to just smile back at me.  Sammy is a really great guy.

I had so many "farming" questions for him.  Where are all these kids going with all these cattle and goats and how can they keep them all together?  Sammy said the animals need to be taken from the pastures each day to the watering holes so they can drink and back again.  We passed by several of the watering holes, which were man-made.  Holes dug in the ground to catch the rain water so the animals can drink.  We are in the middle of the "short" rainy season now and the watering holes were plentiful.

So what happens when 5 farmers get to the watering hole at the same time and there's over 100 animals running around?  Sammy said the animals know who their sheapard is and will not go with anyone else.  He said if 5 farmers meet at the same watering hole and their animals get mixed up, the shepard knows who all of their animals are by sight and the animals would never go away with any other shepard but their own.  It is all very biblical, and not surprising at all.

We arrived at Tenwek in time for a nice healthy rain, so this is the first year I don't have any "arrival" pictures.  Livingston and the other cooks had lunch waiting for us when we arrived around 2:30 pm and boy were we hungry and tired.  Most of the team caught some sleep on the bus ride to Tenwek and I tried, but every time I closed my eyes and opened them I was missing too many sights along the way.  I can sleep later...

We were initially not planning on doing any surgery today (Monday) since we typically need a couple of days to organize all the supplies and get the equipment put together and tested.  We have so many patients to do that the team pushed to start surgery today... and not just one case, but 2.  I have to admit I was a little frantic last night and this morning trying to prioritize where to go and what to do.  Our first patient of the day is on the surgery table now and we are doing our first ever "Kenyan CABG" or bypass patient.  The Western culture is catching up with Africa and our Western diseases are now being treated over here.

The nurses and phyysicians who are going to take care of our patient post-op are teaching in the auditorium now, and will be done in time to admit the first patient to the ICU.  Our biomedical technician friends are here from Samaritan's Purse (a repeat performance by my good friend Monty) with our biomed technician John from Vanderbilt and they have all of our equipment in fine working order.

Franklin Graham was here yesterday and left about the same time we arrived.  He gave Tenwek a surprise visit since he has a long standing relationship with the hopsital.  Unfortunately we did not get a chance to meet him, but we were all able to share in the excitement of the medical staff that did.

More later...