October 14, 2012: Packing Party 2012

It's hard to believe it's been a year since our last visit to Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya but we're gearing up to make our 5th trip.  Our team from Vanderbilt University with our brothers and sisters from around the country and in conjunction with World Medical Mission (the medical arm of Samaritan's Purse founded by Franklin Graham) will be working at Tenwek Hospital from October 26th through November 12th to do 2 weeks of cardiac surgery.  Week #1 beginning October 29th will be focused on adult patients, and the following week of November 5th through the 9th will be our pediatric week.

Every trip starts off with months and months (and months!) of prior planning and coordination to bring together all of the supplies and items necessary for doing cardiac surgery in this remote area of the world.  When our team arrives at Tenwek, we convert their recovery room into a post-op ICU and our teams will hand carry the majority of the medical supplies, medications, disposables and gifts for our patients. 

Our teams are composed of the most incredible care-givers, both medical and non-medical and I truly feel blessed to be able to participate in a world-wide endeavor such as this.  The experience is simply unbelievable and the reason I love to share our experiences at Tenwek with all of you is to hopefully bring you closer to the incredible experiences we have had and will have on this years journey.  I appreciate all the wonderful feedback I have gotten over the years from friends and family of my own as well as those of our teammates while we are serving the Lord here in Eastern Kenya.  I hope this year will captivate your hearts and souls at home as it does for those of us here at Tenwek. 

So....  the packing party was held at our home this past October 14th.  Although not everyone was able to attend here are a few pics from that afternoon:

Everyone hard at work.  We're allowed 2 check-in bags for each individual not to exceed 50 pounds.  All supplies are loaded in the luggage based on the location to be utilized at Tenwek; the operating room, cardiology, post-op ICU etc.

Team members from left to right:  Dr. Tom (cardiology), Rebekah, Leah and Amy (pediatric cardiac ICU nurses), Michael, Cille, Aubrey and Dr. Mary (intensive care and cardiology).

Amy and Sarah (pediatric cardiac ICU nurses)

Sarah and Leah packing it all in!

Dr. Tom and Rebekah laminating those luggage tags.  Gotta love those smiles!

The Taylors, the Jackson, MS contingent of our team.  Dr. Mary used to care for our pediatric cardiac patients in the PCICU at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.  Since we can't see Mary at Vanderbilt anymore, its a blessing to have her and her husband Michael on our team for the 2nd year at Tenwek.   

Michael, Cille and Aubrey.  Cille (center) is providing over 100 soccer balls for our patients and friends at Tenwek Hospital this year as a service project at her school.  It is amazing what a simple gift such as a soccer ball means to these children in Eastern Kenya.  Because of Cille's efforts, our ICU nursing staff will be able to give each child (and maybe a few adults) a soccer ball in the ICU when they wake up from surgery.  It is not unusual to see children in areas surrounding the hospital playing soccer with wadded up plastic bags tied together with rope.  It is also not unusual to see our children clutching their soccer balls in their ICU beds during their entire recovery period.  Thanks Cille for all of your efforts.  If there are any world class soccer players from this area of Eastern Kenya in the next 15-20 years, we'll know who was responsible!

Finishing up the packing party, and starting to get really excited now for the first time for our upcoming trip.

From left to right:  Rebekah, leah, Johnson (senior Vanderbilt perfusion student) Amy and Sarah.

Thanks everyone for your positive attitudes and unfailing efforts.