March
The end of March brought a little bit of rain and a big surgery. Last blog I sent, I had asked for prayer about a little girl named Afi. The surgery was a great success, the tumor was completely removed, and she recovered well. I just saw her in clinic this week and she was smiling and almost completely healed. The pathology came back negative for cancer. This is a huge win. I got to tell her mom that her daughter will get to have a normal life and we got to thank God together for bringing the pieces of his Kingdom together to “leave the 99 to seek out the 1” (paraphrased). God truly did move mountains. Thank you for the prayer
April
April brought a push towards Greece as our entire medical team left the compound to head to the CMDE conference in Kos. I got to see old friends and eat Greek food and see the acropolis.
I learned multiple things that I have already put into practice here, which, medical people know, anything that changes the way you practice is a pretty big deal so those lectures were indeed fruitful.
Mostly I felt refreshed by rekindling sweet relationships, meeting new people and swimming in the Aegean Sea any chance I could get.
I ate an incredible amount of tzatziki and my goal was mostly achieved that my blood was more tzatziki than RBC by the time I left.
I got to horseback ride in the ocean (stay tuned for photos) and got to hang out with my mom a little bit on either side as she was in Togo again helping out with Bissap and a monkey. She truly looked like a zookeeper when I arrived home.
May
May has brought mango season! yay! AND birthday month. Which I have been milking for all it is worth.
I have also started looking forward to the next steps. In reflecting on the future, I have decided the next season of life will take me back to the US. Maybe for a short while or a long while. In all seriousness, only God knows. I am currently interviewing for Trauma/Critical Care surgery fellowships to see if that is a good option for my transition back to the states. Please pray for guidance and discernment in that. (more on the next post)
Bissap is doing well. She is keeping me busy with walks and playing and personality. But also an excellent snuggler and a lot of fun to play with. She will be one year old next month!
In other updates, a few posts ago I told everyone that I had been praying for God to “breathe life into an anal sphincter” and I am happy to report that HE DID!! Our rectovaginal fistula repair now has a normal life back with control of her bowels and I did a lot of fist pumps and screaming, which the patient and staff found very entertaining
What I’m reading/watching/listening to….
- Field Notes For The Wilderness, Practices for an evolving faith, by Sarah Bessey
- Beyonce’s album on repeat
- Just a lot of surgical textbooks right now……
- Rewatching Friends, and some new cooking shows.
- Hacks
- Loot
“There isn’t anywhere you’ve been and there isn’t anywhere you’re going where you’re not at home in God’s love. The wilderness is home to God, even the wilderness inside you. Your life is already a place where God is quite at home.” Sarah Bessey
Prayer requests:
- Exams for our surgical residents coming up
- Upcoming trip to the states in July
- Discernment with Interviews for future plans
- If anyone knows some surgeons interested in serving, we will be pretty tight this summer with a team of 2, so please send them our way!
Love you Launa❤️
You’re also critiquing/reading my latest novel, right?
Count me in for more tzatziki! Great update! Praising God for the encouragements and wins that you shared, including the alive & well anal sphincter!
Blessings as you seek to discern next steps as PRP wraps up.