Not Me!

In all my times serving with Mercy  Ships, I have never ever wanted to observe a surgery!  We had many opportunities and I just could not sign up (yes, that would be me - the CPR-PR instructor who also teaches First Aid and Oxygen Administration) - totally unlike Marion MacIntosh from British Columbia . . .

Not only did I get to observe a surgery…… I bless fully got observe 4 surgeries! A practice not normally given to any… one right after the other. 

A Goiter (def: an enlargement of the thyroid gland that is commonly visible as a swelling of the anterior part of the neck that often results from insufficient intake of iodine and then is usually accompanied by hypothyroidism) was the first one. It was a small one (about the size of your fist). I thought I might be passing out a bit as nauseous-ness started waving over me. But the worst I had to contend with was my sneeze! 

The next surgery would have been grotesque to see if I had seen the patient beforehand. He was from Sierra Leon, he was attacked by Rebels when the war had broken out. They literally had put a pad lock on his mouth, going right through his upper pallet and added few other atrocities. For a moment, I saw some real mercy and the ministry of Mercy Ships. They do help come rescue those forgotten or distressed. This has not slackened me in any way in ceasing to pray for Authority! 

Lunch broke the momentum, as my hostess came to release me. She said “as you come back from lunch we will bring you in to see a Max-fax!. I was delighted! 

Arriving back at the OR entry, we were ushered into the Head Surgeon’s room already underway with the Max Fax! This would be Dr. Gary Parker (you saw him on 60 Mins.). He was working on a woman who had come in earlier this year with a tumor (the size of a football) on the side of her neck (I had heard about her from my roommates earlier on this year). Now I was seeing the plastic surgery/ re-shaping her face. He cut & used a skin graft w/muscle from the shoulder area to reset the jaw and cheek. Amazing! What I also noticed in his OR room…., the Presence of God there. In the background of the room played heavenly worship music! Oh boy! 

I was exhilarated to hear that I would be attending yet another surgery. This one had to do with a jaw that was to be re-constructed around a Titanium plate. If they don’t do this, chances are years down the road the metal jaw will start to break through the skin. So God is His Wisdom gave us extra bone at the hip (“spare parts” it will regrow itself) and that portion was transferred to the chin. Amazingly, even though they had to break up the bone to shape it in the chin area, it will grow back as one solid piece around the Titanium plate in about 6 months. Amazing!