Cameroon 2010

After thoughts

2010-05-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Love cannot remain by itself -- it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.
--Mother Teresa

We would like to sincerely thank Pastor Luther, the Council, and the LCI community for sponsoring our trip to Cameroon, Africa this past April. It is difficult to know where to begin when describing our experience in Africa. However, it is clear to us that our experience changed our lives forever, and we believe it will be a valuable stepping stone in LCI’s continuing work with the EELC mission and The Protestant Hospital in N’gaoundere.

We noticed from the very beginning of our journey how desperate the situation was in the healthcare system in N’gaoundere, Cameroon. We found a need in every corner. The hospital needs general medical supplies, medicine, nurses, doctors, and, most importantly, proper infrastructure. The patients’ rooms are unacceptable, covered in dirt and swarmed with flies and cockroaches. Patients share their rooms with 3-5 other patients, negating any form of privacy. The operating rooms have just enough supplies to get by. However, at the same time, the Cameroonians do the best they can with what they have. Their attitudes are positive and optimistic, despite the dire situation. They simply need help.

As our mission continued, we found ourselves working in the operating room, helping care for surgical patients and emergent patients, before, during, and after their operations. We experienced some common surgeries that we had seen before in the United States: hernia repairs, cesarean sections, fracture repairs, etc. The only difference was that there was only one surgeon performing all of the operations. This was far too much work for one man, yet he took it in stride and continued to save the lives of the Cameroonians. We also experienced some surgeries that we would never even dream of seeing in the United States, and saw some situations that continue to haunt our memories. We experienced the pain of family members who desired to help protect their loved ones but were unable to keep them in the hospital due to money. We watched as patients bartered for the price of their medical care, unable to scrape together the $50 it would cost for an important operation. We saw children who had resided in the hospital for several months due to horrific injuries and even more horrific complications. We witnessed simple injuries get exponentially more complicated as the patients were forced to travel for days to reach the hospital. All of these events and experiences were new, complex, and eye opening for us both. Seeing the dismal situation of medicine in Cameroon has changed our outlook on our careers and in our lives.

Although a lot of the trip was frustrating and heart breaking, not all of it was this way. We formed deep relationships with strong and inspiring patients and staff. Although the staff of the hospital needed education and some motivation, they put up with serving in the healthcare field with minimal supplies and resources, utilizing an incredible amount of patience and understanding. In addition to the staff, we were awe inspired by the unchanging and ever hopeful will of the patients. Our favorite patients were the “Three Musketeers:” three young boys who were all in the same room for months, all with horrendous injuries, and all with the brightest, happiest smiles we had ever seen. They greeted us every day, saying “Good morning. How are you?” in broken English. They personally rehabbed their injuries (as there was no physical therapy at the hospital). And they survived. Without the work of the hospital, especially the surgeon, Dr. Brown, their injuries would have taken their lives. We also loved visiting the Nigerian man who spoke a foreign dialect that no one understood, but who talked to us and laughed with us every day. He had an injury to his arm and asked every one on our team to help him stretch it out every day in an attempt to heal. And, finally, there was the woman who had a beautiful baby girl, which Courtney delivered. She offered to name her baby “Courtney” out of appreciation, joy and grace. All of these experiences will remain with us forever.

Even with the good experiences, there are still an insurmountable number of problems at the hospital. So, where do we begin to help? First, by sponsoring the work of Jim and Carolyn Brown. Dr. Jim Brown is the leader of PAACS (Pan African Association of Christian surgeons) in N’gaoundere, Cameroon. He is almost single handedly taking on the healthcare needs of the entire area. His wife, Carolyn Brown, is a nurse and educator at the hospital. She also organizes a benevolent fund, sponsored through the EELC and ELCA, which supports care for patients who cannot afford the basic healthcare they require. Instead of denying these patients care, which is what used to occur, they can now dip into the benevolent fund and provide the emergent services necessary. This fund is supported fully by donation. This is a good place to start with simple monetary donations through the ELCA. Donating supplies to the hospital through Jim and Carolyn Brown would also be beneficial. As for more ambitious goals for the church, a few ideas come to mind. Funding a large infrastructure project at the hospital for an extended period of time would have a long lasting impact. This can be accomplished through LCI alone or through a consortium of churches. Sending personnel to the hospital, specifically shifts of doctors and nurses throughout the year, would be invaluable as well. Lastly, spreading out into the neighboring communities with a mobile medical clinic is an ambitious goal worth pursuing. This would provide access to healthcare to thousands of patients who sometimes would travel up to three days to get to a hospital.

As we experienced, these tasks can seem overwhelming and daunting. But what we can also assure you is the rewards far outweigh the risks. This undertaking can serve the Lord by saving the lives of innocent men, women, and children who simply have nothing. When you look into the eyes of an innocent dying child who can be saved from a simple investment, it is heart wrenching. We cannot only save one child, but we can also save an entire community and do it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Courtney Steller and Brent Brown

Top twenty things we'll miss about Cameroon

2010-04-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

20. Sleeping under mosquito nets

19. The 50 year old train

18. Eating lunch in the surgical wing in a wheelchair with medical supplies, ants, other med students, and a mouse

17. No traffic laws of any kind

16. Understanding every 5th word

15. Taxi motorcyles (motos)

14. Loud call to prayer/roosters/goats/screaming children at 5AM

13. Blaring african/middle eastern music till all hours of the night

12. Always having at least one major utility out

11. Sweating through scrubs three times a day

10. 75% of diet consisting of eggs

9. Food and drink for under $2

8. Omnipresent red dust

7. Bartering for everything

6. Plantains served as french fries

5. Adorable children chanting 'nassara'

4. Endless supply of mangos

3. The hospital

2. The spirit of the Cameroonian people

1. Jim and Carolyn Brown

The snakebite

2010-04-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

It was 6PM after another long day of surgery. Brent went with the resident to follow up on the cases in the ER when the resident non-chalantly says "snake bite....that one is us." The 14 year old boy lay still, as if in a trance, clearly favoring one arm. We found out this boy had been bitten three days ago by an extremely venomous snake in the ring finger. Attempts had been made by the 'traditional healers' to dispel the venom slowly moving its way up the child's arm. The 'healers' put several holes with needles in the boy's arm to no avail. Once the family gave up on the traditional route, they travelled apparently a great distance for a last ditch effort with Western medicine.

When we examined the patient's arm, it was full of dirt, needle holes, and so tense and swollen he barely had a pulse. He immediately needed IV fluid and antivenom. The ER had some generic "African snake bite antivenom" which we immediately pushed into his veins. He could barely move his arm due to the pressure building up in his left arm. In medical speak, this is known as "compartment syndrome" requiring an immediate "fasciotomy." In other words, we had to slice up his arm to relieve the pressure.

We called anesthesia to get ready to perform surgery. We got no response. A half hour later, we decided we were going it alone The medical students attempted to set up the equipment, replace IVs, and get ready for surgery. All the while, the patient was getting worse, much worse. He had virtually no blood pressure, had very little oxygen in his blood, and was dangerously anemic due to the hemolysis likely occuring secondary to the venom.

Courtney looked at the chart and sure enough he was O positive, the same blood type as herself. Courtney, being the fearless person she is, went to give blood without letting Brent or Dr. Brown know. Brent found her giving blood in a back room of the laboratory. He was in awe. There was no hesistation to giving blood in Africa. The child needed blood and Courtney gave it to him.

Anesthesia finally showed up and he eventually stabilized with Courtney's blood. We had saved his arm and his life.

-Brent Brown

The waterfall

2010-04-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

On Saturday afternoon, following a half day in the hospital, we decided to take a day trip out to some nearby waterfalls. We grabbed some water, snacks, our tour guide, Yerima, and our four wheel drive, manual Toyota, and we were off on our "safari."

We initially headed outside of N'gaoundere on a back dirt road. Not only was the road a dirt road, it had apparently not been maintained for years. There were giant holes, roots, ditches, and miniature rivers paving the road. Endlessly bouncing up and down and swerving to all sides of the road to avoid the huge bumps, Yerima led us on our way. As we drove, we passed several villages far outside the boundaries of N'gaoundere. These villages would pop up as if from no where. They usually consisted of a group of little houses that looked like huts, with grass roofs or occaisionally no roofs at all. Every now and then we would pass a larger building, which we were informed were schools. We wondered how children got to the schools as they appeared to be in the middle of nowhere with no nearby surrounding village. As we drove further, we got confused stares from the Cameroonians, as well as some children yelling "Nassara."

Finally, after around an hour and a half of driving and some roadblocks by an occasional herd of cows, we arrived at a small hut next to a stone pathway of steps. "We are here," said Yerima. We migrated down the stairs in the sweltering heat to come upon three gorgeous flowing waterfalls. They seemed to have no beginning. They fell into a small lake below, which generally gets much larger as the rainy season progresses. We could stand as close as we could to the falls to feel the cool mist chill our skin against the hot sun. We wandered around the falls, to the back side, and as close to the water as we could get. It was beautiful. After taking hundereds of pictures and relaxing for a little while, we made our trip home.

It was a wonderful short little day trip. We ended the day drenched in sweat and red dust, turning one of Courtney's great little white tee-shirts to a dull orange shade. We had finished our little safari and decided to treat ourselves to a nice fancy dinner at the Plazza Restaurant that evening; a great ending to a great day!

--Courtney Steller

Dr. James Brown

2010-04-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

"We are either going to treat this patient, or he is going to die, and I say we treat."

That quote from Dr. Brown was said after a patient was not being treated in the emergency room because of lack of payment. I think it epitomizes the way he practices medicine. A former Navy surgeon and a practicing general surgeon in Virginia for the last 30 years, Dr. Brown has chosen to end his career in N'gaoundèrè, Cameroon providing quality healthcare to a place struggling to just survive. Dr. Brown is technically providing general surgical care to the Prostestant Hospital and the serves as head of PAACS (Pan African Association of Christian Surgeons). As the head of PAACS in N'gaoundèrè, he instructs two residents leading surgeries and bible studies alike. Dr. Brown also does an amazing amount of surgeries. As the only attending surgeon, he is always "on call." In other words, he never has a day or even a night off. By my count, in addition to his surgical duties, he also works in pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, infectious disease, orthopedics, urology, internal medicine, and family medicine.

You may ask, how can one man do all of this? The answer: the best that he can. He literally taps into energy stores that I don't think exist. I also think his faith plays a large role in how he is able to handle his responsibilities. Whatever you may believe, there is little doubt when you see this man, that a higher power is on his side. He once said "80% percent of what I do here I have never done in the states." This is a doctor who had been practicing for thirty years. Often times he is functioning on a hope and a prayer, and more times than not somebody is alive today because of that.

And of course, there is Carolyn Brown. As they say, behind every great man is a great woman. This couldn't be more true in this case. As a nurse, she handles a lot of patient care as well as education for the other nurses on staff. In addition, she handles virtually all the household duties and is the de facto adminstrator of the patient benevolent fund designed to help patients who simply cannot pay for lifesaving treatment. She is a woman of patience, grace, and dignity.

The next time you think you work too many hours, you hate your boss, you don't get paid enough, you despise your commute, think of Jim and Carolyn Brown. They just may put everything into perspective.

-Brent Brown

A day in the Protestant Hospital

2010-04-18T08:57:00.001-07:00

I'd like to write a quick chronical of the events of our daily morning rounds, hopefully to help you understand the dynamics of the hospital and the patients we've been interacting with.

We start rounds in Urgance. Urgance is the Emergency Room. It consists of 6 "Boxes" (rooms), which are literally boxes with a curtain hanging in front. The rooms are generally single rooms, although I have seen up to three people in a room at a time. Urgance has access to oxygen and wall suction, and has its own supply of dressings, gloves, etc. When patients present to Urgance they are seen on one of the two beds that are not inside a room, but out in the open. If they are to stay, they will then be moved to a room. Urgance also serves as a place to put post-operative patients, since there is a smaller nurse to patient ratio and the supplies listed above. If patients remain unstable for a while, they may remain in urgance for a very long time. For example, there is a girl we are treating in Urgance currently who presented one week ago suffering major injuries from a moto accident, including an open femur fracture and an open humerus fracture. She was taken to the OR immediately and stabalized, and has remained in Urgance ever since while she recovers.

Our next stop in rounds is to pick up our "dressing cart" (simply a cart with a lot of dressings, tape, gloves, betadine, saline solution, etc.). We usually have to restock the cart before we pick it up because the nurses here don't feel it is their responsibility. Then we make our way over to the private rooms. There are about 6 private rooms offered to patients. They cost 5,000 CFAs a night (about $10) vs the 3,000 CFAs ($6) it would cost otherwise for the entire hospital stay in a non-private room. The rooms are very nice and are usually decorated with rugs, sheets, etc from the family. There is also an extra bed in the rooms for family members.

Next up: Reanimacion (aka Reanimation), which is the ICU. The only reason this area is considered the ICU is because it has access to oxygen, up to 6L at a time (which is not much), and wall suction. It is also more expensive, but often we will have to place patients there even when they do not need to be there due to lack of space in the hospital. The area was originally built to be a burn center, with a donation made from St. Mary's in Duluth. However, the infrastructure was never maintained to continue a burn unit, and it became the "ICU."

Finally we get to the surgical ward. There are about 6 rooms we see patients in on the surgical ward. Each room holds about 5-6 patients. They are stacked up against the walls (which usually have an array of bugs and cockroaches crawling on them) with their dishes, clothes, family members, etc. struggling to find space aroud them. My favorite of all the rooms is the second room. In that room are "Les trois Muskateers," three young boys who suffered horrendous injuries at different times and who have been in the hospital for months, becoming very good friends and motivating each other to get better. They all get really excited when we come see them, giving us high fives and teasing us about our French. They are inspirational in the amount of dedication they have towards their own recovery. Even though they have been here for several months (some since January), they are still happy and never cease to have fun or laugh. Rounds on the floor consist of a ton of dressing changes (apparently this is not something nurses do), and a lot of sifting through the charts to try to decipher whether or not a treatment has been given. Have they gotten their antibiotics? Do they have a fever? Has their Foley catheter bag been changed? Rarely are these important facts documented in the charts, leaving a lot of unanswered questions. We also have several (about 4 right now) patients who are still on the floor even though they have been discharged home, just because they have not paid. The head nurse (the "Majore") will not let the patient leave if they have paid, so they just sit around until they can come up with money.

Our last stop on rounds is Maternatie. We follow up on any C-Sections that we may have had. Finally, once rounds are done, we will make our way to the Bloc (short for Bloc du Operacion, or the OR). There are 2 major operating rooms, each with two tables, and yes, sometimes they have two tables operating at one time in one room. There is also a side room for minor operations and a pre-op/post-op room for patients to wait. There are two sinks to scrub (aka steralize) for the operations with soap and unfiltered water. About 80% of the time, the water is not working in the OR, so there is a bucket filled with water that we use to scrub when that is the case. There is supposed to be one oxygen machine in the OR, but that has not been seen for a while. There is a back storage room, which seconds as a call room/cafeteria, and contains cabinets full of unorganized supplies, both donated from outside donors and bought by the hospital. There are a few sterile instrument trays. There are two bovie (cautery) machines which work about 50% of the time. There is a pulse oximetry for the anesthesiologists, which usually is inaccurate, and a blood pressure machine in each room. And there is suction in at least one of the rooms at all times. (Sorry non-medical readers, that paragraph probably didn't mean that much to you).

Finally, once all of the operations are finished and there are no more emergancy operations that need to be done, we are finished and can go home to enjoy some dinner...most of the time!

--Courtney Steller

Everything is negotiable

2010-04-18T08:54:00.001-07:00

What we have come to learn is that anything and everything can be bargained for in Cameroon. This concept, from what we been told, pertains to all of West Africa. In Younde and N'gaoundere this was most evident in the markets. These markets are wall to wall people selling fruit, clothing, shoes, used electronics, vegetables, meat, etc. It is the African equivalent of Wal-mart. The difference is bargaining! (For reference, 5000 Cameroonian francs, is roughly 10 dollars). Someone might say '10000' for the Cameroonian World Cup soccer jersey. You had better make a really low counter offer quickly, like say 3000. You say things like "the jersey isn't that great" or "i could get it somewhere else for 2500." These things may be considered rude in the states but here it is a lively conversation and intertwined in their culture. If you are really good, you can eventually get the jersey for 4000. Brent, being an amateur, paid about 5000 for his replica soccer jersey.

As a 'Nassara', or white person, people generally think they can take advantage of you; we learned this quickly. 'Nassara' is literally yelled at you by people as you pass. Sometimes, when yelled by chidren, it feels like you are a white celebrity walking by. Other times, when yelled by merchants, it is like they are putting a target on your back, essentially yelling "sucker!" when you walk by.

The door to door salesman is not dead in Cameroon. With little access to the internet, people aren't buying things off Ebay or Criag's list; they are buying it at their door. We have bought things at our door; which you can really haggle down the prices. We have bought mangos, onions, paintings, and souvenirs from salesman. Often times these are extremely cute children, which can often be endearing. Except, of course, when they constantly harrass you at 545 AM knocking on your window before you are at the hospital for 16 hours.

People even bargain for medical care. We have outpatient clinic every Monday and Thursday where we set up surgeries and treat a lot of non-surgical patients. I would say roughly 1/3 of clinic is going through the prices for surgeries; which are already ridiculousy low compared to the states. For example, a complicated orthopedic surgery in states could run you $30,000 or more. Here, you may get one for 150,000 CFAs (300 dollars).

So if you are heading to Cameroon, put your best haggling face on, and shop till you drop!

-Brent Brown

Medical Students

2010-04-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

This week, 4 of the medical students that have been working here left to go on a trip to a national park. However, we've been joined by another student, Binto, a Cameroonian medical student.

There is one medical school in the country of Cameroon which is based out of Yaounde. The school is, I am told, similar to European medical schools in that they are 6 year programs and students can enroll directly out of high school. I believe they have 4 years of basic science classes and 2 years of clinical rotations. They are required to do at least three months of their clinical training at a "rural" site, which is why Binto is working at the Protestant Hospital in N'gaoundere with us. She is in her 5th year at medical school; her first year of clinical rotations.

She has been a lot of fun to work with and talk to during our time in the hospital. It is interesting to get her perspective on certain things: e.g. she is very impressed by the conditions of the Protestant Hospital and thinks it is one of the nicer hospitals she has been to. When I told her there are about 8 medical schools in Chicago, she was astonished and could hardly believe there were so many medical schools in one city. She also enjoys working with Dr. Brown as much as we do and is very enthusiastic about learning (proving she is not quite in her last year of school!).

Things you won't see at a hospital in the USA

2010-04-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this blog by stating there is some graphic material concerning some patients Courtney and I have seen.

Our time in the hospital started off with surgery the morning after we got off the train. It was a fairly routine surgery until we realized the anesthesia was never routine. Patients rarely would be put under full sedation (gas, muscular blockade, IV medication). Our patient was given a lot of IV medication to compensate. Unfortunately her airway was not kept open and she had copoius secretions with no suction. She proceeded to desaturate until her oxygen levels were next to nothing when we had to take over to get her breathing again. This was our induction to surgery in Africa.

We have had several patients who have groaned during operations; some more than others. Although, with the medication they are on they will likely never remember the pain of surgery watching the patients experience the pain in an altered state is still unsettling.

We have seen an extraordinary amount of children with burns; sometimes extensive. Kids often play near fires with little to no supervision as a way of life. The struggle is not the surgery to repair such wounds with skin grafting, etc; the struggle is with wound care management and physical therapy. We round everyday often changing wound dressings with children in agonizing pain. Even with proper managment many of these children will lose function in the hands, arms, legs, etc.

Many children also come in with serious fractures often dirty and old. Many kids develop osteomylelitis (bone infection). When this happens you can treat with antibiotics. They have access to some antibiotics here but not the IV variety they have in the states. So many children are left with multiple operations to remove the infected bone as their only alternative.

We also have seen an good deal of patients related to 'motos.' Motos are essentially taxi motorcycles. Courtney and I experienced an accident on the way to town one day. We performed a basic trauma survey on the side of the road. We had a man stabbed multiple times from someone attempting to steal his moto. Most recently we saw an accident with 3 people on a small motorcycle being struck by a large bus.

Many OB/GYN cases also have bad outcomes. The infant mortality rate here is still very high here; with approximately 5 of our last 10 C sections resulting in dead children. There is little to no prenatal care and often women wait until it is much too late. Compounding many of these problems is the reliance on 'traditional' medicine before seeking 'western' medical care.

Lastly, is a case that will stay with us for the remainder of our careers. Pt X was a 30 year old female who was a UN recognized refugee living in CAR (Central African Republic). She came in with a large mass in her abdomen for an unknown amount of time. The history we got was anywhere from 6 months to two years. We obtained an ultrasound and a pregnancy test. The pregnancy test was negative and the ultrasound confirmed a mass outside the uterus. We were truly confused. She had also developed an abscess with pus draning from her abdomen. She complained of constant itching until a hole opened in her skin. We decided we had to explore and remove whatever was causing this problem. Brent was lucky enough or unlucky enough to have scrubbed in on the surgery. Pus drained profusely as we opened the wound. Then fragments of hair and bone were seen; typical of a dermoid cyst (cyst with hair, tooth and nails; fairly common). We continue to remove debris until we noticed a femur, pelvis, and a horrific smell. We were removing a dead child. The child was either an ectopic abdominal pregnancy or her uterus ruptured and she recovered quickly enough to not bleed out. The child had been dead so long her pregnancy test was now negative. As we grimly removed her unborn deceased child she never knew she had, Courtney was asked to document what we had seen here. She did her best to contain her emotions and her stomach as she took pictures. The whole situation made you want to cry.

I write about these situations not for shock value or as a condemnation on what goes on at a hospital just trying to save whatever lives they can with the resources they have. I write this as a reminder as to how lucky we are to being living in the US where we have access to great care in virtually ever walk of life. I also write this as a plea to continue to keep in your thoughts and prayers the disparity in the quality of life here.

-Brent Brown

Fruits and Veggies

2010-04-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Something I have found to be extremely exciting since being here in N'gaoundere is the almost constant access to fruits and vegetables. On the short walk from the hospital to our house, there is a small market place. The market place consists of approximately 5 make-shaft booths surrounded by several women and children with platters of various fruits and veggies. We've been able to find mangos, bananas, tomatoes, avocatoes, pineapples, garlic, onions, etc. (One of these booths also has a man who sells omelete sandwiches in the back: 350 CFAs for a 3 egg omelete on a baguette which correlates to about 75 cents. Very tasty and easy to split. You can even eat it in the back of his booth if you can put up with the endless amount of flies.) Another option for fresh fruits and veggie is to wait for the women or children who walk door to door with giant tin containers balanced on their heads filled with delicious foods. Whichever way it is provided, the fruits and veggies are generally delicious and fresh, and are a fabulous after-work snack after a long day at the hospital (especially the mangoes and avocatos!).
-Courtney Steller

Opportunity and Challenge at the Protestant Hospital in N’gaoundéré, Cameroon

2010-04-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

Many of you are reading this are following along with Courtney and I’s day to day travels and experiences in the hospital. We will continue to post those stories on future blogs. But I want to take the time to speak to opportunities and challenges to those who are planning on travelling and working here at the hospital and those that may contemplating it. I also want to speak to anyone who wants to help in other ways. Please see the ‘how do I help section’ at the end of this blog.

First, I will speak to the challenges. First and foremost is the language. Although, in theory, Cameroon is a bilingual country with French and English being the primary languages, this can be misleading. English and French sections of Cameroon are well demarcated and N’gaoundéré is French speaking. So I would strongly suggest really learning basic French or having at least one translator; preferably more for large groups working in the hospital. Courtney and I made a valiant effort in this regard but it does take a good deal of uninterrupted time. Even if one knows French, many natives speak in tribal languages which further complicate communication especially in the healthcare field. This can be overcome by developing relationships with local doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff; which brings me to my next point.

Language isn’t everything. In my short stay here, my feeling is that many of the Cameroonian people working in the hospital feel like they can take care of their own with what resources they have. Some might even feel threatened or resent that Americans have come here “to save them.” It is analogous to a foreign doctor coming in and telling your long time family physician that his treatments had been inadequate. Not an easy situation by any means. Carolyn Brown, a nurse and the wife of the head surgeon of PAACS Jim Brown, said it took here one year before she felt like she had develop the rapport to teach the other nurses. When Dr. Jim Brown took over, there was essentially no documentation system and it was anybody’s guess if the doctor’s orders were performed by the nurses. He has spent the last 1.5 years attempting to change the system and it has only recently been working with few setbacks.

Lastly, and maybe the most obvious problem, is finances. Many people simply have very little money and the resources they do have go to food and shelter. Jim and Carolyn have set up a benevolent fund for emergencies and surgeries deemed necessary. People pay out of pocket for everything. People have to purchase manually all the treatment they will receive in the hospital. This includes IV fluids, medication, and surgery before anything will be done. Recently, we had a woman unable to immediately pay for an urgent treatment in the ER and she was not treated overnight because of her financial issues.

OK, now onto the positive points. With the caveat of what I wrote above, much is needed here and much can be done. In regards to healthcare personnel, an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthesitist would be huge help. The anesthesia staff is overwhelmed with the volume of surgeries and need help with the quick turnaround often needed in surgery. Secondly, medical supplies, basic sanitation equipment, and medications are sorely lacking. Moreover, any doctor or nurses willing to make the trip would be a help. Specifically general surgeons, OB-GYN docs, and Internal Medicine specialists and nurses experienced in these fields would be of help. In regards to specific donations, donations to the hospital for infrastructure I think we be the best use of money. Infrastructure may be the largest problem facing this hospital. The hospital is simply nowhere near where it needs to be in many areas.

We will be posting a “how can I help” section that will be continuously updated with contacts and specifics on how to go about making a difference here.

-Brent Brown

Medical Student Frustration

2010-04-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well, we’ve been at the hospital for almost a week now, and things are not quite how we expected them to be. I think we came in to this experience with the expectation that we would be an invaluable addition to the hospital and would get to experience and participate more than we would in the US. We thought that I would be working mostly in Obstetrics and some Gynecology, and that Brent would be working in Internal Medicine and rounding in the hospital. And, we thought we’d be some of the only “extra hands” in the hospital.

Some of the above is definitely true. We have seen some amazing cases that we would be unlikely to see anywhere else. We round every morning on surgical patients and are very helpful in assisting with wound care and chart documentation while our attending hurries to see all 40 patients. I have seen several Gynecology cases already.

However, a lot is different. First of all, we have pretty much only been working on the surgical team. Dr. Jim Brown, the attending, is American and therefore speaks fluent English, and is extremely nice and welcoming. As Brent and I have attempted to branch out to other fields, we have not been very well received and have a difficult time explaining who we are and why we’re there due to the language barrier. Therefore, we’ve been feeling much more comfortable and welcome with the surgery team. Secondly, there are 5 other medical students besides us here at this very moment. Some are coming and going, and one has been sick with malaria, but 7 total students makes for a very crowded service. And we are still only students. We are working with an American attending and his residents (1-2 at a time), which leaves us in the “student” position, giving us very little, if any, autonomy. This also leaves us with a lot of time to sit around and do nothing, waiting for a moment to be useful. Finally, we are still in the mix of the competitiveness between medical students. We are all vying for the good surgeries, the future obstetricians all want the C-sections, and we all want to give off a good impression to our attending.

I know that this experience is unlike any other and that I am truly lucky to be here, yet some days it is frustrating that we can’t be more help. Dr. Brown needs more surgeons, more hands, and more time. He does everything by himself and is on call every day of the week. I only wish I could take some of the load off of him and truly give back. I find I am feeling the same as I have throughout the fourth year of medical school: I want to more and I feel I have the ability to do more, but I am not yet at the point in my training that I am allowed to do more. I suppose that is frustrating both in American and in Africa.

Courtney Steller

An Easter to remember

2010-04-06T11:43:00.001-07:00

As expected, Easter Sunday was not the same this year. Even thousands of miles across the country, however, we still were able to celebrate.

The day started with the goal of attending a sunrise service at Mount N’gaoundere, the largest “mountain” around. We piled in the car at 5:30am to drive to the mountain, expecting a large group of worshipers to meet up with, but instead we found no one. We decided to just climb the mountain by ourselves and do some personal reflecting. The gathering consisted of Dr. Brown, Kim, Magdalena, Marit, Lauren, Jacque (one of the PAACS residents), his wife, Deena, and us. The hike up didn’t take too long as we traversed the mounds of rocks and attempted to find a trail. By the time we got to the top, the sun was just rising. We stayed there a while, meditating and snapping a lot of pictures. We were able to see over all of N’gaoundere from the top, from the train station, to the cathedral, and almost to the Protestant Hospital. As we relaxed, enjoying the mildly cool breeze of the early morning, we were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of Cameroonian “athletes” who use the mountain as their morning exercise. They bounded up and down the hill, jumping from rock to rock, as we attempted to keep our balance and avoid tumbling down the hill during our descent. Brent noted that they were hiking similar to the way they’ve been driving: fast, reckless and without “rules.” By the time we made it to the bottom, we found the original gathering that we were supposed to meet for our service. Our car was on the other side of the mountain. Oh well!

We drove back to the Mission where Carolyn had a beautiful Easter brunch prepared for us, complete with colored eggs!! She had made some cinnamon buns, chocolate zucchini bread, and fruit salad to celebrate the day. It was amazing and we were again grateful for our gracious hosts here.

By the time we finished brunch it was only around 9:00am, so we decided to walk over to the Millenium Church to see what their Easter service looked like. The church is gorgeous! We listened to (and tried to sing along with) the band and attempted to understand the baptism and the sermon.

For a while we were able to relax in the afternoon, until Dr. Brown came knocking at the door, letting us know there were some emergency surgeries going on. We dashed up to the hospital to join him. For those interested in the medicine, Courtney was first assist on an 18 year old girl with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, on whom we did a unilateral salpingectomy and a couple ovarian cyst drainages. Brent then was first assist on an incarcerated hernia repair. Finally, Courtney performed a curettage on a woman who had miscarried (technically an incomplete abortion) at 6 months gestation. Whew! By the time we got back, we were hot and tired. We forced ourselves to make a quick dinner and then went to sleep.

Like we said, not your typical Easter.

Courtney and Brent

Day #2 N’gaoundéré -First day in town

2010-04-06T11:42:00.001-07:00

Courtney and I were able to get away and go into the city after our first trip to the hospital. Lauren, who had been in N’gaoundéré for 5 weeks and spoke fluent French, was our guide. We walked the 45 minutes to downtown from the mission with great pleasure as we had been feeling a bit cooped up. We strolled all around town and saw all the little restaurants and shops. This was no easy task. In order to move we had to navigate through mobs of people, motos (motorcycles), and cars, through a cloud of dust, and with the local youngsters yelling “Nassara, Nassara!” (meaning “hey, white person…”) from every direction. That being said we had a lot of fun. We eventually made our way to the petite marchè (small market) which is ironically larger than the grande marchè (large market). Lauren showed us the fine art of haggling a local seller at the market; which is actually, we found out later, a large part of the Cameroonian culture and West Africa in general. We were able to snag an ‘authentic’ Cameroon World Cup soccer jersey and a ‘real’ African necklace. After that we went to Courtney’s dad’s favorite restaurant when he stayed in town: The Plazza. Unfortunately the cooks weren’t there and the waitress didn’t know when they would be back. All they had to offer was drinks, which was not going to be satisfying enough. So we wandered to another place where the cooks were there. However, they only could offer about half of their menu. Despite the limited options, we were very happy with the meal, especially since we got some fried plantains (a delicious substitute for French Fries!). We then got the Cameroonian version of ice cream, ice flavored with vanilla and chocolate extract, which was actually pretty good and thoroughly refreshing. We got a taxi home to the mission feeling full and content Now we were ready for a great Easter Sunday.

Brent and Courtney

Day #2 N’gaoundéré-First hospital day

2010-04-06T11:41:00.001-07:00

We had settled in on Friday and were ready for anything. On Saturday morning we volunteered to go in for rounds at 0730. We made our way out of the mission and into the hospital compound close by. Dr. Brown led rounds through the various wings of the hospital without hesitation as if he were back in the US. He seemed unaware of the conditions around him. Courtney and I were not. Everything was hot, humid, and dirty. The rooms were often full with four to five patients per room and their entire families with them. Dust settled on the floors, bugs crawled on the walls, and flies swarmed around patient’s wounds. But the amazing part was the staff at the hospital. From the janitors to the doctors everyone seemed to be doing the best with what they had. Dr. Brown seemed to lead the charge in this regard. Dr. James Brown, the leader of PAACS (Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons) seemed to tap into an inner strength and faith few people have ever possessed.

Once we looked past the conditions we attempted to focus on the patients. From the child with a snake bite causing a permanent deformity of his arm to the women who had burns over 25% of her body from boiling water being thrown on her the patients were truly shocking. Patient after patient would come to this little hospital in N’gaoundéré from sometimes miles away with horrific injuries just for a shot at hope. Perhaps more depressing was witnessing a very treatable disease in the US being either horribly mismanaged or ignored by the patient or family until it was too late. Even if they were there in time and treatment was available at the hospital often times the patient had so little money the hospital would have to eat the cost.

We realized quickly where the need is in this community resided. The need for basic medical supplies and medication was a constant issue. The facilities all badly needed upgraded.

Courtney and I were finished with the hospital by the mid-afternoon for that day. But we realized the importance of bringing our story back to the United States for the never ending fight for quality health care around the world.

Brent and Courtney

04/02/2010 Arrival to N’gaoundéré and Day 1

2010-04-06T11:40:00.001-07:00

We had finally made it to N’gaoundéré. As we exited the train and prayed our bags made it with us (they were thrown into some other car by the porter), we couldn’t help feeling excited and a bit nervous. With our appointed porter, we eventually found our luggage in the midst of a huge crowd. Carolyn Brown, wife of Dr. Jim Brown was waiting patiently to pick us up at the station with yet another medical student from the US! We all drove into town and made our first most important stop: lunch. We ate at this little restaurant called “The Coffee Shop” and tried out the local fish, Capitain, with some fried plantains (yum!) and the Cameroonian soda, Djino. Once we were sufficiently full, we made a quick trip to the grocery store, a bakery, and finally to the EELC Mission. We were met by Dr. Jim Brown, who is one of the most talented, hard-working, dedicated and kind-hearted people. Once we introduced ourselves and tried to figure out who we were “officially” meeting at the hospital we were assigned to our different mission houses and left to get settled in.

The houses here are pretty comfortable. Courtney has a two bedroom/one bath house that is right across the way from the house Kim and Magdalena (the two girls on the train) share. It has a kitchen, a dining table, a living area, hot water, and electricity. Brent lucked out with a three bedroom/one bath “mansion,” with a huge living area and a fire place (for all those cold nights…), a large kitchen and huge storage areas. Overall we are quite pleased with our living situations.

Once we got settled and cleaned up a bit, we visited with the other students since there was nothing going on at the hospital (as it was Good Friday). Two students, Marit and Lauren, are from the University of Minnesota. Marit is originally from Duluth and there is a strong connection between St Mary’s Hospital in Duluth and the Protestant Hospital here in N’gaoundéré. Through some contacts back home, she and Laura were able to come out here to work. Kim and Magdalena are from Danville, Virginia, where Dr. Brown used to practice. Through his connection, they were able to set up a rotation here. It was amazing to talk to these other students from across the country that ended up here, at the same place at the same time. The others had been here for 5-6 weeks and were very familiar with the area and with the hospital, which eased our nerves and helped get us oriented quicker.

The evening was spent having a nice pizza (made with fresh picked mushrooms!) at the Browns. We talked and ate and got to know one another. We felt extremely welcomed here and were excited for what the journey brings us next. Rounds at the hospital in the morning….

Courtney and Brent

The train ride 4/1/2010-4/2/2010

2010-04-06T11:39:00.001-07:00

Finally the day of the long awaited train ride had arrived: Thursday 4/1/2010. We had made our reservations for the train on Monday but we had to still go to the station in the morning to purchase the ‘real’ tickets. Ann and Willie had to go into town so they were nice enough to drop us off at the train station and direct us to the proper line to wait in. Unfortunately, when we got there, nobody was working the ticket line. We discovered that this is not an uncommon occurrence in Africa: unscheduled “breakfast breaks” can happen at any time. While in line (for a mere 2 hours), we met two other Americans girls, Kim and Magdalena, who were heading to N’gaoundéré to the same mission! In fact, they were also medical students! Not just medical students but osteopathic medical students from Virginia. One of them, Kim, spoke French and was able to get us all in the same “wagon” (aka cabin). After getting our tickets we went back to Anne and Willie’s to eat lunch, take some final pictures, and say our goodbyes. That afternoon, Felix, our trusted taxi driver took us to the train station one last time for our voyage. Arriving at the train station was mildly overwhelming as several Cameroonians approached us offering to carry our bags in exchange for a fee. These men are known as “Porters” and are common to find at any travelling station. We proceeded to the first class waiting area, which seemed completely out of place, complete with nice seats, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV with hip hop videos. After waiting another couple hours, it was finally time to board the train.

We proceeded to get on the train now with our new medical student friends. The cabin was small but had 2 bunk beds. We tried to lay as still as possible to avoid any more heat production as the heat and humidity descended on us and we were unable to open the majority of the windows around us. After sweating through our clothes the train gloriously started to move. With a sudden and forceful jerk we were finally on our way to N’gaoundéré. We read some books via the lights that were hanging on by a thread and slowly drifted off to sleep as it became darker and darker. At one of the stops, a couple innocent-appearing flies made into the cabin. Then about 500 of their fly-friends flooded in, all swarming around our light. Courtney was swatting at the flies with her flip flop and hiding as far in the corner as possible. We searched around frantically for the light switch but were unable to find it. When we really thought there was nothing more we could do, a maintenance man came around with some bug spray. We dashed out of the cabin while he sprayed like crazy, shut the window, showed us how to turn off the lights, and closed the door to fumigate the unwanted insects. We went back into the cabin ten minutes later cleaned the dead flies off our beds and breathed a sigh of relief. We drifted back to sleep and woke up around 6AM as the sun rose. Although the train was supposed to take about 12 hours, Courtney and I had now gotten used to “Africa time” and were not surprised as we rolled into N’gaoundéré around 11AM. We had made it!

-Brent and Courtney

Cockroach

2010-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I had my first run-in with a very large, very disgusting (albeit harmless) insect, and I admit, I may not have handled it with much grace…

Since arriving in Cameroon, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of waking up each morning at 5:30am for no apparent reason. Maybe it’s the incessant crowing of roosters everywhere, maybe it’s the prayer signals from the nearby mosques, maybe it’s the slightly uncomfortable beds or the slightly uncomfortable heat. Whatever the reason, I’ve continually been waking up at this unnecessarily early hour. So I wasn’t surprised when Thursday morning, at Ann and Willie’s, I woke up again at 5:30 and found myself unable to go back to sleep. I decided that perhaps if I took a quick bathroom break, I would have an easier time returning to my pleasant dreams.

As I headed to the bathroom, I remembered that there had been a dead cockroach in the corner by the door for the past day (I had previously confirmed with Brent that it was truly dead), so I cautiously avoided that. Then it happened. As I shut the bathroom door, a huge, evil looking, squirmy, gross creature crawled rapidly the other way, out of the bathroom. As my heart skipped a beat and I stared at the floor stunned, I decided that it was out of my way for the time being and that I could briefly go about my business. But then came the hard part… leaving the bathroom to go back to bed. Praying that the insect had gone on its merry way, I start slowly prying the door open. There it was again, and I swear it was looking at me! It started coming back toward the bathroom, close to where its dead friend resided. Quick to think, I jumped up on the toilet so it wouldn’t be able to get me (as dangerous as it was…). Staring and the floor and attempting to figure out my next plan, I saw its little tail tentacles move under the door, so I did the most logical next step: yelled for Brent.

As Brent slowly arose after realizing I wasn’t in any grave danger, the cockroach decided to play a fun hiding game. As I swore to my fiancée that the cockroach was real and was “right there,” he searched and searched and found nothing. He somehow was able to convince me that I was delusional, get me down from my perch on the toilet and calm me down enough to go back to bed.

What do you know, as I was lying there in bed, I heard a quiet, “Courtney, you should get up.” Thinking it was some kind of April fool’s joke, I almost ignored him, until he advised again, “Really, you should get up!” Turns out that sneaky cockroach was RIGHT next to my bed and was making its way to my head, and who knows what kind of horrible plans it had in mind! I ran to the highest place I could find: the top of my suitcase and waited there until the roach was gone. Luckily, Brent is faster than a cockroach and was able to take care of it. Whew!

Now that that’s over, I think I’m ready for anything. The next giant insect that comes along I think I will be able to handle much more gracefully :) … perhaps.

Courtney

Brent's biggest surprises (last post till N'gaoundere)

2010-03-31T15:24:00.000-07:00

I have been pleasantly surprised by a couple things already on the trip. First and foremost, I have realized the food is wonderful here; different but very good. The coffee at the hotel was very strong (sorry weak coffee people) but had a rich aroma and flavor that really was incredible. While at Anne and Willie’s we have experienced the local fruit. I may take some flak for this but it was better than anything I have tasted and that includes you Southern California :). Also, don’t tell anyone but Courtney agrees with me at least about the mango. From the mangos to the pineapples to the tangerines everything was superb. For dinner today, we had spiced beef with peanut sauce, plantains, cassava, and pineapples for dessert. What is cassava you might ask? The cassava root is long and tapered, with a firm homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1 mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. Cassava can be used in flour preparations, tapioca, dumplings, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes. Cassava is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food in the world. But I digress……….

*Note: Courtney and I are stilling following all the proper travel precautions when eating the local cuisine so no need to worry.

The second biggest surprise is the touches of Americana that have reached Cameroon. From your obvious Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola light,for you calorie counters, to a place called “Mac Donalds” with no trace of the American version except they ironically serve greasy french fries and hamburgers. Possibly less obvious was the completely up to date versions of hip hop songs from the US in English on the radio. The most touching piece of American culture we expereinced was Yaoundè’s best known street: Kennedy Avenue. The street is complete with a bronze bust of JFK himself.

I feel truly honored to be welcomed so graciously by the Cameroonian people and the contacts made by Pastor Luther and LCI.

This is the last post before we head on a train tomorrow night for our final destination: N'gaoundere. We will arrive on Easter weekend. We are looking forward to a great celebration.

-Brent Brown

Anne and Willie (and Micah)

2010-03-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

So...now for something completely different! After spending a day with not much to do or see at the Hotel le Tango in Yaounde, we were able to get a hold of some missionary contacts that live here in Yaounde, Anne and Willie. Anne is originally from Montana in the States (so she speaks perfect English!) and Willie, her husband, is native to Cameroon (in the northwest region, I believe). Both work for the Lutheran ministries and have a beautiful home in Yaounde with their 23 month old son, Micah (spelling could be wrong).

After speaking to them yesterday, it turns out they have just returned from a trip and graciously offered for us to stay in their guest house for our last night in Yaounde. Willie picked us up in the morning and we said goodbye to the Tango (in a little bit of a fluster after finding out their VISA machines were broken...). We drove around the city some more, this time more in the center of the city, where street vendors were surrounding us and traffic was horrific! (I'm not sure how anyone gets anywhere around here, but I am certainly glad I don't have to drive. Even my Chicago driving skills wouldn't stand a chance!) Eventually we made it to their house. Their home is beautiful, with an expansive and gorgeous view of the city. Their guest home, where we're currenly staying, is apparently much like the houses we will stay in when we're in N'gaoundere. We had a fabulous time visiting with the family, we sat through a huge rain storm, ate some lunch, and now are relaxing and making good use of the faster internet connection :)

It has been great to visit with Anne and Willie, who are truly kind-hearted and generous individuals. We are certainly lucky to be able to stay in this guest house for the time being! We will post pictures soon! Only one more day until we're finally on the train to N'gaoundere!

--Courtney

Courtney's French Frustration

2010-03-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Alright, I’m going to write a quick note about one of our biggest setbacks to date: the language barrier. I know I have been in situations before where there has been a language barrier of some kind, e.g. my trip to Germany (I certainly speak NO German), several situations in the hospital with foreigners who speak no English, a vacation in Brazil (Portuguese is not the same as Spanish…). However, the language barrier here seems to be affecting me more than any of those previous experiences. Perhaps this is because I attempted to learn some French before beginning this journey, which had very little benefit. Maybe because I already feel like an incredible outsider and the language barrier only potentiates this feeling. Or perhaps because I already feel “stranded” in Yaoundé without knowing where to go or what to do and I cannot talk to anyone or ask any opinions. Even for those individuals who do speak English, their accents are so heavy that it is still almost impossible to understand. In our “free time,” we’ve been attempting to brush up on some simple French: “How are you?,” “Thank you,” “You’re welcome,” “I don’t speak French,” “I don’t understand,” etc. However, when I attempt to use one of those few phrases to a local, I get a long response of questions/comments in French – all of which I don’t understand. So then I still have to revert to my confused, “I have no idea what’s going on” look, which Brent refers to as my “deer in headlights” look. Anyways, I keep hoping that this barrier will slowly improve, and perhaps within the next few weeks it will. For now, I’ll stick with “Je ne comprends pas.”

--Courtney

Day 1 Yaoundé 03/29/2010

2010-03-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

The hotel we are staying at was not Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego or The Drake in Chicago however it was more than enough for us. The Hotel le Tango had air conditioning, a working shower, a flushing toilet, a restaurant and bar, and an occasionally working television. We actually saw a CBS telecast of college basketball through ESPN’s international broadcast. March Madness knows no bounds! We had to meet Felix today at 0900 and we had things to accomplish today: get a train ticket to N’gaoundéré, find bottled water, find coffee, and get a lay of the city. Courtney made sure we did the most important one first. You guessed it: find coffee! We found coffee in the restaurant and we awkwardly ordered our little breakfast in what little French we knew. We met Felix and went to the train station. Unfortunately this was serious roadblock #1. Without prior reservations being made, we have to wait three days until Thursday evening to get a train out to our final destination. While somewhat disappointed at the delay, we were anticipating possible problems with the train as we had heard stories from other people. Unfazed, we went to find water at the local supermarket. This was successful, outside of being unsure as to how much everything was. We then persuaded Felix to give us a tour of the city which was breathtaking. We saw every government building in the city, a couple parks, the local hotspots, and the US embassy. We were able to do this with only a couple funny moments. First, we got a lot of stares and were being persuaded into buying things in the back of the cab. Courtney deferred to me to saying ‘no’ to the incredibly cute children. Secondly, Courtney, who if not a physician would have definitely gone into photojournalism, took a lot of pictures. All of them acceptable, except snapping pictures of the US embassy; they didn’t like that at all. Courtney got yelled at by an armed guard and Felix was quick to tell Courtney “don’t do that.” We made it back to the hotel after our sight-seeing adventure. We have been attempting to brush up on our French. Also, being the rainy season it rains every afternoon so staying in is not such a bad thing. It’s similar to Chicago during the summer with the heat, humidity, and then thunderstorm in the afternoon. It looks like we are staying in Yaoundé for a couple days so we may meet a few contacts here over the next few days. Will keep you all posted!

Much love from both of us.

-Brent Brown

Arrival 03/28/2010

2010-03-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

We made it! First step go through the “health check” where we had to wait in a line to present our immunization records. Oh no! Luckily, Courtney being ultra organized and prepared, had copies of our immunization records. Way to go Courtney! Then we had to go through an extremely long and disorganized line to present our passports and tell the Cameroonians where we were intending to go in their country. We eventually made it through the line as ‘diplomats!’ We were on our way to get our bags. It was about 8:30PM and it was warmer and more humid than any airport Courtney or I had ever experienced. Ironically, we got our bags faster than we would have at any airports in the US; score one for Cameroon. We then had to find our Yaoundé contact in a sea of people that don’t speak English. We were expecting one of four people. Turns out it was a secret contact number five: Felix! Felix, dressed in army fatigues looking quite intimidating, said ‘Cour Stel’ as we were barreling through people and attempting to keep our bags close. It turns out Felix was a local cab driver that Pastor Luther and Courtney’s father knew. Felix was incredibly helpful getting our bags and getting us on our way while keeping the mob at bay. He was also a very talented cab driver. Ok, imagine the craziest cab ride you have ever had, now multiply that number by 100 and you got a cab ride around Cameroon. Brent was having fun while Courtney looking a little apprehensive. In short time we made it to our hotel, said Au Revoir to Felix, and passed out from exhaustion.
-Brent Brown

The Plane Trip (s) 03/27/2010

2010-03-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

We made it to O’Hare with little time left to spare. If anyone is ever attempting an international flight at O’Hare and taking the train to get there allow extra time to get to the terminal! We had quite the walk with our bags followed by a Disney-like tram to get to the international terminal. Once we got to the terminal we were in good shape. We were even better when Courtney got her People magazine and chapstick. Swiss Air came equipped with movies and friendly staff who fed us quite well despite the fact that it was still airplane food. We even got Swiss chocolate! I thought I was clever when I bought a netbook for movies on the plane complete with two headsets for Courtney and myself. However, it turns out the audio is not so great on netbooks with movies. Overall the trip was great with the exception of two screaming children next to us from Zurich to Douala and Douala to Yaoundé. These kids were not your average “crying in an airplane kids,” they were gold medalist criers. When we made it to Yaoundé after about 24 hours of flying and connecting we were relieved. Everyone clapped as we landed, and Courtney and I were officially excited.
-Brent Brown

Getting close

2010-03-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

Only 3 days to go! We are getting so excited and anxious to embark on our adventure :) It feels like there are endless things to do to get prepared. I can't wait to just get on the plane to go so we don't have to think about it any more!! Last minute details:

Medical supplies...check! (gloves and masks)
Purchase netbook...check!
Buy cheap tee-shirts and undergarments...check!
Buy lots of bug spray, sunscreen and pepto bismol...check!
Mosquito nets...check!
Gather all prescriptions...check!
Freshen up on French.... pending...

Send us some love!

--Courtney

Blessed.

2010-02-28T15:16:00.000-08:00

For several years, I have had the dream of traveling to an under-served country, particularly Africa, to give what I can to people who are far less fortunate than I. As I began pursuing a career in medicine, this dream turned more specific as I began to feel a call to travel to Africa for a medical mission. Entering medical school, the plan to go on a medical mission became just another aspect of school: of course it was something I was going to do. I would find the time and place and go, no matter what. It was never a question - it just was. (I was also lucky that the man I had started dating and ended up engaged to, Brent, felt the same calling to serve.) However, as I started looking into different avenues and different opportunities to serve, it seemed like nothing was going to work. I hit road block after road block, and was beginning to think perhaps I was being given a sign that this pursuit was not meant to be.

Then I started talking to the pastor at my home church in Poway, Pastor Luther at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation. He had lived and served in Ngaoundere, Cameroon, adjacent to the largest hospital in northern Cameroon. He knew the people in the area and the physicians at the hospital, and, most importantly, he knew they needed some help. All of a sudden, as if it was meant to be, everything started falling into place. Brent and I talked to him about logistics, about setting up a rotation, and about filling out all the necessary paperwork - all which was done without issue. Midwestern University approved the trip and suddenly I was on my way to pursuing my dream of serving in Africa.

As if that wasn't enough of a blessing, we recently found out we have been offered even more - the sponsorship of the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation. The Church generously offered to sponsor our whole trip - which is much more than I could ever ask or hope for. I aspire to represent our congregation in our service, our kindness, our love, and our dedication, and I hope I can make everyone pround.

I feel so lucky to have the support of friends, family and an entire congregation in Poway, California. I can only pray that the services and time I can provide in Cameroon will match all the blessings I have received...for I certainly am blessed.

--Courtney

Planning....

2010-02-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

Planning for a trip to Africa is no easy task. We've been shot up with multiple vaccines, spent tons of money on prophylactic medicine, sent out oodles of paperwork to Washington DC for visas, and we're still not done. Our next mission is to get all the supplies we will need: latex gloves, heavy duty bug spray, heavy duty sunscreen, water filters, pepto bismol, scrubs, etc. For any other suggestions, please send us a message! With Courtney's trip to California the month before our departure, we want everything to be set and ready to go way ahead of time. That's what happens when a "planner" personality type (others may describe it as "OCD") is involved!

--Courtney