November 2019
Dear Friends and partners,
It has been a while since I have written – the reason was that I took a few months leave to prepare for my approaching end years. It is very good to be able to do so. It is very good to be back and to see how much the hospital has progressed. Let me share some of the good news.
When I arrived last week, I met a woman and her family. Song Thou is dying from a very pervasive cancer – one that causes her tremendous pain – one that leaves her unable to eat and to drink. Her suffering is even more poignant as she is the same age as I am. I felt guilty standing by her bedside – I am in good health and as her son told me – you have so much energy! We have built a Palliative and Pain center run by a very capable and compassionate Dr. Ly. Within 30 minutes he had relieved her nausea, he had relieved her pain. She slept the day away. In the evening she woke and she talked with her family. Her end of life is near – but her end will allow her to say her good byes, to sleep without pain, to eat without throwing up. I am so very humbled and thankful for this gift. Dr. Ly can help with any kind of pain, whether it is intermittent, long term, end of life – he can do it! We are bringing comfort to women who are hungering for relief.
We are getting solar panels – enough to run the hospital for phase 1 and 2 – enough to save us a minimum of $5000 US plus per month in electricity costs – enough that it won’t matter if the electrical grid is down for hours each day – how very good that is! It should be completed by early January. The cost is $160,000.00 USD – with so many smaller donations that have come in, we have raised enough to pay for $20,000 of it – will you help us to pay for the rest?
Our next big news is that we will open up our obstetrics unit in the first quarter of next year – I am soooo excited about helping women bring in new life – to be part of the beginning of life while my end years have started. How good that is! In conjunction with the obstetrics we will open up our surgical department. This process will begin next week with the installation of oxygen, gas and vacuum lines for our four surgical theaters, 4 delivery rooms, 2 recovery rooms, our ICU, and emergency rooms. With those will come specialized air-conditioners and air purifying units. The cost is $165,000 USD – money we don’t have but believe we will receive because so many of you will help us. Just think of all we can do – I am so grateful!
We have received a number of our smaller machines: colposcopes, Leep machines, ultra-sounds, x-ray, mammogram; too many to mention. The result is that we have been able to do minor procedures such as removing vaginal polyps and warts or completing a botched abortion – where the mother’s life is in danger because of pervasive infection – without our help it would be her end of life.
We have examined and treated women from all walks of life – each day new patients arrive and others return for a follow up session. Women are beginning to come from our Tabitha villages – what a comfort that is to me personally.
As the upcoming holiday season approaches, I am so humbled by the birth of a child so long ago- Christmas is about the gift of this child – the gift of life! Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital is the extension of that gift of life – that gift of love. Each day brings us new challenges, new miracles. Each day is the beginning of hope for women with no hope. You made that happen! How good that is!
Janne
To Donate : https://nokor-tep.net/index.php/donate
Website: www.nokor-tep.net
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