Praise the Lord after several months of frustrating efforts the Papua New Guinea Labor Department finally sent the work permit for Scot and the entry permits for the two of us. There was one last hurdle with the PNG embassy. I (Tyronza) was not aware that our passports had to be sent with the visa application. When I called on Friday morning, February 18th, I was told they had everything they needed except our passports. We were scheduled to fly out Tuesday morning, February 22nd. To make a long story short, I FedExed the passports to the home address of the embassy employee; she took the visa approval home with her Friday night; she received the passports Saturday morning and inserted the papers into our passport and overnighted them back to me. I received on Monday morning at 9 am and we left for St. Louis on Monday afternoon. I am thankful for overnight delivery and Mary, a flexible embassy employee.We travelled through Tokyo and arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Thursday, February 24th. We arrived with three of our four bags, but amazingly the fourth bag showed up the next day.
Scot began seeing patients on Monday morning in the clinic. He is being used for referral, so the patients are first screened by the family practitioners. Routine deliveries are handled by the nursing staff. Scot has performed several surgeries and has seen one patient with malaria. He's back in the swing of things. Scot is working very hard in the clinic, has already diagnosed one molar pregnancy, two ectopic pregnancies and three large ovarian tumors. One of the ectopic pregnancies had an estimated blood loss of 2,500 cc!
The largest tumor removed was nearly 20 pounds! He has had only limited obstetrical management, but has performed several deliveries and repaired several lacerations. Care here is very basic; sterile technique is not very high. The patients seem to do well and are grateful for the care received. The hospital's motto is "We treat. Jesus heals."
The patient care given here is very different from the states. The nursing staff primarily administers medications and any physician orders given. The patients or their families take care of themselves and their needs. They have to provide their own bedding, food and toilet tissue! I was told each patient has to purchase a roll of tissue, otherwise all manner of substances are used and flushed through the toilet.
I began working in the storeroom yesterday and will probably spend my mornings there helping with inventory. Judy Bennett, one of the missionaries, will be leaving in a couple of weeks on furlough. I am to follow her around while she is still here and take on some of her responsibilities when she and her husband leave.
Pictures are being posted through Facebook. The Internet connection here is torturously slow and unreliable. I can receive but not send emails.
Tyronza W. Pringle
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