A little boy saved

This week we saved the life of a seven-week old boy with severe respiratory obstruction from an infected congenital cyst of the neck and larynx (branchial cleft cyst, type III).  Yesterday the child had the strength to smile for the first time in a week.  The patients are so sick I do not have the heart to delay their care by taking pictures, but this handsome boy should have his photo taken.

There are pictures of a cattle truck, similar to the accident truck described in the 24 September blog, and of our burned pediatric bronchoscopes and esophagoscopes, which occurred when water stopped entering the sterilization machine.  Now two light carriers give irregular illumination, but hopefully they are still bright enough to remove foreign bodies from a child’s trachea and esophagus. These telescopic bronchoscopes and esophagoscopes are the only ones in all Ghana and they are used to save many children. 

A little boy and his toy.

While waiting to have a haircut I enjoyed seeing a contented, little boy who walked by pulling his home made car.  It was an ingenious toy, made by some loving person.  He agreed to have his photo taken and afterwards his observing playmates could not be denied to have their photo taken as well.

A little boy and his toy.