NEUROSURGERY WEEK

NEUROSURGERY WEEK

For the first time ever we were blessed to have a Neurosurgeon come to NWHCM (Northwest Haiti Christian Mission) and do 3 life saving neurosurgeries. Our Medical Director Tore said it best:

"Let’s talk more about this. We live in the poorest zone of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. There is no city power here. For the majority of households, there is no running water. The water we do have is unclean. We do not have paved roads or sewage systems. There is no trash pick up. Yet, in the middle of the poorest zone of Haiti, three children had life-changing neurosurgery. Three children with hydrocephalus had shunts put in.
Hydrocephalus is a condition where there is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. We see quite a bit of hydrocephalus in Haiti. One of the main reasons for this is lack of prenatal care. With hydrocephalus, you need a shunt put in to give the excess fluid a place to go. Without a shunt, the head will continue to grow. Currently in Haiti (a country with over 10 million people), there is only one hospital that has the capability to put shunts in. They have a limited number of shunts and are known for turning people away.
Last year many of you prayed for Owens after he had his shunt put in. Your hearts broke with us as Owens entered the gates of Heaven. This week, however, was not about Owens’ life or death, but rather about his legacy. Dr. Jeff did Owens first emergency surgery in January following the complications of his shunt. He went home and talked to a friend about what he had seen and experienced. This friend (Dr. Omar Jimenez) decided to do something about what Dr. Jeff told him. Dr. Omar is the neurosurgeon that spent last week with us and completed our first three neurosurgeries. I still miss Owens, but these three kids were able to receive shunts because of him. They would not have had a chance anywhere else. His legacy does not end there as our partnership with Dr. Omar continues. He has agreed to come back in January, and we already have seven kids on our list for shunts! God has moved mountains and worked miracles through Owens life and death."

On a personal note I am very grateful to Dr. Omar for taking the time to hear about my neurological struggles I was experiencing. He even witnessed 1 of my episodes and gave me advice and guidance to move forward with my health. He is a genuinely great guy! I am so excited for his partnership and commitment to helping the children with hydrocephalus who desperately need access to shunts.

This is one of my favorite pictures. It shows 3 of the Miriam Center "moms" coming to pray over and encourage 1 of the outreach families children. Love the relationships that are born between Miriam Center staff and outreach families. 

I am also thankful that he took the time to evaluate 4 kids that have stumped me with knowing how to move forward and what diagnosis they had.