What a Beautiful World

1.  Despite being surrounded by suffering, pain, and poverty, I often see glimpses of a beautiful world.  It is times like these that I am ever grateful for organizations and individuals that come together to help those in need – paying no heed to the barriers that usually divide us all: religious preference, socioeconomic status, race, creed, or gender.  Midwest Eye Banks is one such organization.  In January 2014, they generously donated 20 corneas for use in Zambia; this was all facilitated by friends and colleagues, Drs. Jeff Colquhoun and Doug Buxton.  One of the eye bank technicians was able to bring over the tissues, 9 were left for use at the Zimba Eye Clinic, where Drs. Colquhoun and Buxton were conducting an eye camp, and 11 donor tissues were generously donated to Lusaka Eye Hospital.

As soon as we heard that that the eye bank technician + corneas would be in Zambia on January 29, 2014, at the crack of dawn we sent a driver the long journey down to Zimba (a 6 hour drive) to pick up the package.  We made sure he was equipped with an ice cooler with adequate ice to keep the donor tissues cold during the journey back.  The technician’s flight ended up getting a few hours delayed, so my driver never got back on the road until 5 pm, finally reaching Lusaka before midnight (just in the nick of time for the following day’s surgeries!). 

There were just so many people and so many factors involved in the whole process; I don’t think my patients will ever know how much work went into ensuring that their surgeries happened.  But receiving this gift of corneal tissues was truly like receiving a priceless jewel.  Eleven corneal tissues never looked so beautiful in my sight.  

I was forced to think, this is a beautiful world, indeed, with beautiful, selfless people and beautiful organizations who love to commit themselves to charitable work. 

It was nice to have two local ophthalmologists, Dr. DJ Kwendakwema and Dr. Edith Pola-Smith, join me to observe the surgeries and learn a few tips during the week.

All the surgeries went well during that glorious week.  However, we did encounter some hiccups.  The first was that we had purchased some trephines from an Indian company, only to find that the blades were blunt!  For the first time in my life, I could not completely punch my donor tissue through and through!  I ended up having to complete the anterior cut manually under the microscope with corneal scissors.  This made for a less than ideal result, but fortunately the surgery otherwise went successfully. 

Some of the patients we did were pediatric patients.   

We arranged for an anesthetist to join us on that day in order to put these cutie-pies to sleep.  One patient, a four-year-old male, had a bad corneal scar and cataract after a likely corneal ulcer during his early childhood. 

 

After a delicate surgery (PKP triple), he is doing well so far.  His father was ecstatic about his improved cosmetic appearance, but I was more excited about his visual potential.  This is his post op week 1 photo (just after a suture replacement in the operating theatre).

Another patient, a 9-year-old male, had experienced a progressive haziness of his corneas over the last few years, likely due to some corneal dystrophy, causing his vision to drop to counting fingers.   

 

 

Amazingly, on postop day 1, he was able to see 6/36 from his operated eye!  Below are his postop week 1 photos.

 

I continue to pray for improvement and healing on all the patients who were operated on.  And even if the perfect results are not achieved, I pray that the patients are able to have an improved quality of life than before the surgery.

2.  From February 3 - 9, 2014, a team of 12 volunteers from Korea’s Vision Care Services organization, headed by Dr. Dong Hae Kim, served at Lusaka Eye Hospital for an eye camp.  Of course, there were some headaches and difficulties at the onset of the week (upon arrival, 20 boxes were detained by customs at the airport), which delayed the start of the eye camp until Wednesday, February 5^th. One of our eye hospital staff, along with 4 Korean team members, basically camped out at the airport for a grueling total of 12 hours on Tuesday, February 4^th, trying to work out the details of clearing the boxes.  Initially, they quoted us a price of approximately $2300 to release the medical items, but after a full day of negotiations and processing, fretting and prayers, we finally got the boxes released for a mere cost of $40 for clearing and handling charges.  By Wednesday morning, the team had set up our operating room to their preference – two portable phaco machines in place, and all their consumables and disposables ready to go.   

A total of 53 cataract surgeries were performed that week (really 2 full surgical days) as part of the eye camp, and many patients were very happy with the outcome. 

 

It was such a blessing to work with this team.  They donated quite a few things – drapes and eyedrops and consumables and a small set of microinstruments.   

We hope to establish a more firm and formal relationship with this wonderful organization, and we hope to have their team back next year for another eye camp!

Friday afternoon, we had the team over at our house for lunch.  

 

And on Friday evening, we were invited for dinner to the Korean restaurant and guesthouse where they were staying.  There, this historic picture was taken of some of our Zambian ophthalmologists – Dr. Mumba Musonda (from Kitwe Central Hospital), Dr. Doula (from Vision Care Appasamy Eye Hospital), and myself – along with the two ophthalmologists from South Korea, Dr. Dong Hae Kim and Dr. Jaeyun Kim. 

Farewell, team!  Have a safe flight (they are en route to Korea as we speak)!  And hope to see you again next year!

3.  Management at Lusaka Eye Hospital decided that in 2014 we were going to institute an Employee of the Month award!  For the month of January, one of our most hard-working employees was recognized for his dedication and service to Lusaka Eye Hospital. Your hours working hard at night when everyone has gone home, your extra days working when everyone else has gone on vacation, and your loyalty to our institution have not gone unnoticed. Congratulations, Webby, our accounts clerk, for being named Employee of the Month for January 2014!  =)

4.  Meanwhile, Jaycee continues to grow and thrive.  She’s learned to use a spoon, but now she’s learning how to use chopsticks.  =)  

She’s also very fond of playing soccer (or with any ball, for that matter).  

She’s a great girl overall, but she can be quite demanding when she insists on using the iphone or ipad.  She has already learned to take selfies with the devices.  =)

I hope we can be reminded that despite some of our own personal challenges and dark moments, we can see that this world can be beautiful if we do our part in making it so.  May we reflect upon this quotation below as we take the challenge and strive to be a blessing to others.

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”  –John Wesley

Compliments of the Season

 “Compliments of the Season!” “Happy Christmas!” “Happy 2014!”  These were the three most frequent comments heard during the holiday season here in Zambia.  Even though I live in Zambia – officially an English speaking country – by the twists on the English language, idioms, and slang I grew up with, I can say that, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” 

The holiday season was definitely packed with excitement.  We seem to have had a nonstop stream of family and friends in Lusaka over the last few months! 

1. Dr. Omar Hanuch, Dr. Andrea Sandoz, and their three children (Manuel, Felipe, and Cecilia), from Rochester, NY, visited us in Zambia for three weeks (December 15, 2013 – January 3, 2014).  

Omar is an experienced ophthalmologist, and it was great having him around to bounce ideas off.   

Andrea is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, and she was able to give some lectures to the Psychiatry residents at University Teaching Hospital.  

Manuel and Felipe, both teenage boys, helped out doing visual acuities and organizing things (like the big box of eyeglass frames that were donated by one of Cornerstone Eye Associates’ frame vendors).  They even spent a few days with PJ Minor helping build a “One-Day School” and a “One-Day Church.”  

 

Little 8-year-old Cecilia, a gymnast, artist, and pianist, helped babysit Jaycee, keeping her entertained and giggling.  Colored rubber bands are the "thing" these days, and Ceci was able to make some beautiful bracelets and works of art.  Jaycee just liked to play with them and wear them. 

By the end of the Hanuch family stay, Jaycee had learned how to dribble a soccerball (thanks, Felipe) and do a headstand (with Ceclia’s support). After so much play time, she certainly was a happy camper.

Many thanks to the Hanuch family, Cornerstone Eye Associates, Genesse Park Blvd SDA Church, and Manuel’s high school (Harley School) who were able to raise money for the purchase of much-needed surgical microinstruments for Lusaka Eye Hospital!

2.  Christmas Day was celebrated in a special way with the Hanuch family and the Minor family by going out to the local community to sing Christmas carols and give out gifts.   

Our keyboard in tow in the bed of the truck, which we eventually plugged into our generator, played to the tune of violin accompaniment by PJ and Manuel, we were able to recruit a small audience.  However, when the gifts started to come out, it turned into a small mob, as everyone wanted a bar of soap or pair of jeans.   

The whole ordeal frightened little Cecilia to tears, but everyone eventually calmed down and seemed to appreciate the effort we had made to share Christ and some of the gifts we had prepared.  The Christmas lunch, prepared lovingly by Carla Minor and Mom, was especially tasty after that adventure under the hot sun. 

3.  Paul and Dr. Matt Hayden from International Caring Hands were able to reconnect and serve the people of Zambia using the mobile dental clinic once again.  They were able to provide free dental care to the people of Kafue. 

4. My cousin-in-law, Dr. Tae-Woong Im, and his daughter, Taylin Im, also had the opportunity to visit us in Zambia for a little over two weeks (December 26, 2013 – January 10, 2014)!  Although they arrived the day after Christmas, their arrival truly felt like Santa bringing huge bags of presents to eager children on Christmas Day.  The large bags were filled with exotic tasting snacks (like Happy Cola candy or Wasabi flavored rice crackers), presents for Jaycee (thanks, Helen, Jaycee LOVES the pink roller bag/backpack and clothes you got her), presents for us (Bluetooth speaker), and goodies sent from my parents. 

My niece, Taylin, an accomplished pianist and bright college student from Brown University, had a chance to shadow me in clinic and in the operating theatre.  Try as I might to convince her that ophthalmology is the best.field.ever, I’m not so sure I succeeded.  =)  I remember that tender age of 20 as if it were just yesterday – having dreams and goals, but not sure any of them were going to come to fruition.  Regardless of what field she ends up pursuing, I’m sure Taylin will be amazing at whatever she does.  

During the time they were here, Tae acted as my personal business and management consultant.  He has built up two hospitals back in California, has had to deal with all the administrative challenges that I am learning to face, and has had to strategize on ways to improve efficiency or terminate doctors sensitively or motivate slacking employees.  He took time to observe how things ran at my hospital, then offered feedback and suggestions on how to make it work better.  All at no charge!  =)  Thanks, Tae, for the long chats over the dinner table.  You have no idea how much verbalizing some of the problems and solutions has helped me become a better leader. 

5. No year is complete without finishing it off with a trip to Victoria Falls!  Paul, Paul’s Mom, Tae, Taylin, Jaycee, and I spent some time down in Livingstone from December 30, 2013 – January 2, 2014.  The highlight of the trip definitely included our time whitewater rafting down the Zambezi River.   

Jaycee was a little underage for the whitewater rafting, so she stayed back at the hotel with Mom.   

She especially enjoyed the swimming pool.  

 

 

But, we thoroughly enjoyed an experience that has been dubbed by both National Geographic and Frommers as one of the top 10 whitewater rafting experiences in the world!

 

 

 

 6. Immediately following our trip to Livingstone, we headed out for a weekend getaway and Part 2 of our New Year Adventure, to a place we had heard about but had never ventured before.  The Lower Zambezi.  This is a National Park that is known for its wildlife and beauty.  Unfortunately, since it is the rainy season, we could not drive to the National Park.  Thus, we were forced to charter a private plane, which was to land on a short straight airstrip 5 minutes from the lodge.   

The flight was supposed to last only about 25 minutes, but as we arrived at the airstrip we ended up turning around and going all the way back to Lusaka, as the pilot found the clouds too low for us to land.  

 

5 hours later, after a significant clearing of the dense rain clouds, we finally tried again, this time landing safely near the Royal Zambezi Lodge. 

The game drives were different from others we had been on – much more green and lush, much more rain and mud to slosh through.  

One of the game drives turned into the off-roading adventure of our lives, as the Range Rover worked its 4x4 to the max, sloshing mud everywhere, driving through rivers, getting stuck a few times, and finally breaking down (fortunately another safari vehicle was able to pick us up).  

It is always a thrill to see the majestic and beautiful cats – leopard and lion – on any safari trip.   

 

The river safaris were great, with tons of crocs and hippos to view. 

 

 

 And the canoe trip down one of the channels off the Zambezi River was serene and peaceful. 

 

7. After that escapade and arriving home tired on Sunday night, it was back to work on Monday! The trend is for January to be extremely slow, but by God’s grace our clinics and theatre days have been filled and busy.  We are especially grateful for the fact that we have a donation of 8-10 corneal tissues coming in this week, brought by Midwest Eye Banks, and facilitated by the group of American ophthalmologists that volunteer their services at the Zimba Eye Clinic.  We are also very grateful to Loma Linda University’s Global Outreach office (especially to you, Jerry Daly), for sending us a huge air shipment filled with amazing things like a donated operating chair, nasopharyngeal airways and trach tubes, ophthalmic suture, gloves, ophthalmoscope/otoscope wall units, pulse oximeters, eye drops, etc.  This is such a generous gesture on the part of Loma Linda University’s Global Health Initiative, and it is certainly greatly appreciated. 

8.  Back at home, we continue to attend the Lusaka Eye Hospital SDA Church.  In the last few weeks, we have seen some progress when it comes to installing benches at our church, and we hope that the benches will finally be installed by June 2014.  It’s great to have a bit of back support during our long church services. 

Jaycee is now able to participate in the children’s Sabbath School.  She enjoys listening and clapping to the children’s songs, and she doesn’t seem to mind when others play with her hair. 

 

9.  By the way, we have recently gotten wind of a new little video clip that was made by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, featuring the work at Lusaka Adventist Dental Services and Lusaka Eye Hospital.  Enjoy!

The End.