I have mentioned before how much we love our guest house and the people we have met there. The man who runs the guest house, Patrick, is in great need of prayer for his youngest daughter, Melanie, and I asked him if I could post on the blog and ask you to pray.
Shortly after we arrived she developed pneumonia. While she was in the hospital, they noticed some complications, and did an echocardiogram and found a heart problem that needs surgery. The surgery cannot be done in Uganda, because while the upside of medical care here is that it is cheap and they can treat common things easily and efficiently, the downside of that is that there aren't any cardiac surgeons, or high tech equipment, etc.
Some doctors in New York said they would do the operation for free, so the doctors here worked on stabilizing Melanie and Patrick got her paperwork in order to travel. When we left for our Safari this weekend we thought we would come back to hear news of when she was traveling.
We found out this morning that for some reason the doctors have backed out of doing the surgery. The doctors here (who may be wrong- here's to hoping) have given her less than two years to live without surgery. She has since developed Malaria, and will be at great risk every time she gets sick until her heart defect is fixed.
Pray that a doctor would come forward who would be willing to do the surgery and that the expense of the surgery and travel could be worked out. Patrick has informed us that he is planning on selling everything he has to pay for the plane tickets to get his wife and the nurse to the US if a doctor can be found. He will stay here and care for his two older children.
If you know a surgeon who might be able to help please let Jeff know. We can easily get them in contact with Patrick.
I think it goes without saying that our hearts are heavy for Patrick and his family. We know what it is like to get terrible news about your child and to feel completely powerless to help them. The worst part is that Melanie's condition is fixable. She doesn't need to die, she just needs an expensive operation that she can't get here. Please keep her and her family in her prayers.
We have no updates. We continue to wait on the passport. UGH. We are tired and done. Pray that it would materialize so that we could get the visa process started.
Shortly after we arrived she developed pneumonia. While she was in the hospital, they noticed some complications, and did an echocardiogram and found a heart problem that needs surgery. The surgery cannot be done in Uganda, because while the upside of medical care here is that it is cheap and they can treat common things easily and efficiently, the downside of that is that there aren't any cardiac surgeons, or high tech equipment, etc.
Some doctors in New York said they would do the operation for free, so the doctors here worked on stabilizing Melanie and Patrick got her paperwork in order to travel. When we left for our Safari this weekend we thought we would come back to hear news of when she was traveling.
We found out this morning that for some reason the doctors have backed out of doing the surgery. The doctors here (who may be wrong- here's to hoping) have given her less than two years to live without surgery. She has since developed Malaria, and will be at great risk every time she gets sick until her heart defect is fixed.
Pray that a doctor would come forward who would be willing to do the surgery and that the expense of the surgery and travel could be worked out. Patrick has informed us that he is planning on selling everything he has to pay for the plane tickets to get his wife and the nurse to the US if a doctor can be found. He will stay here and care for his two older children.
If you know a surgeon who might be able to help please let Jeff know. We can easily get them in contact with Patrick.
I think it goes without saying that our hearts are heavy for Patrick and his family. We know what it is like to get terrible news about your child and to feel completely powerless to help them. The worst part is that Melanie's condition is fixable. She doesn't need to die, she just needs an expensive operation that she can't get here. Please keep her and her family in her prayers.
We have no updates. We continue to wait on the passport. UGH. We are tired and done. Pray that it would materialize so that we could get the visa process started.
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3 comments:
I am praying- and I think dad and mom told you that they are welcome to stay with me if they are able to get a surgery here.
Amy, a friend of mine had heart surgery in Milwaukee a few years back. I have contacted her and sent her a link to this post.
Amy,
My friend Sarah and I run a non-profit that does this type of thing. We have brought many Haitian children to the US for medical care and would be willing to try and help Melanie if possible. You or Patrick can email me at sister_haiti@yahoo.com and we can see what we can do.
Salem R.
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