Cardiac team in Hondruas

The Heart Team is on the ground and in action in Honduras! Please visit Friends of Barnabas Foundation Facebook page for updates and photos several times a day. You can also visit www.hondurashearts.blogspot.com for more updates!

Home

I have been home a week now, and I miss the children all dearly. It is with great sadness to tell you that Judith passed away. She was very sick, and God has now taken her to be with Him. Thank you all for your amazing support and prayers. This trip would not have been possible without all of you!

 

I love you all!

It's almost over

It's Friday and I am packing to leave. Tomorrow is the last day of surgery, only two are planned. They are "simple" cases compared to many of the others that we have done. They do not require the heart going on bypass to do surgery.

The little girl mentioned in the earlier post, Judith is still very sick. She arrested in the operating room yesterday. She had a CT of her head today that showed that she had suffered a small stroke. This most likely occurred when her heart had stopped and she required CPR. It is very sad for our team. The family is so brave, and their faith unmeasurable. Mom or Dad is almost always at her bedside. We will have to leave her in the ICU in the care of the Honduran doctors and nurses. 

Five children got to go home today, what a joyous sight! All of the parents have commented on how much energy they have now with "fixed" hearts! 

I had the pleasure of getting to know a very sweet family today. Dennis, mentioned in an earlier post, had a difficult start. He had a tough surgery, and required a few extra days in the ICU. We were very worried about him. He got to move to the step down unit today, and should go home tomorrow. I had the chance to sit down with his father to chat with a translator. They live in a small village in the mountains of Honduras. He walks for 2 hours each way to work in the fields. He chops down the grass in the fields with a machete for what amounts to 5 dollars a day. He feeds 5 people in his family on this. They grow beans at their house to feed the family. He works seven days a week, but goes to work  late on Sunday so that he and his entire family can go to church. They are so thankful for their son's new heart. 

Tomorrow I travel to Roatan to meet up with Tyler and his parents. I am so excited to have some much needed rest and relaxation. I will post more pictures, but I want to thank you all for your support of this mission. Without you all, this could not be possible!

In all we have completed 42 cardiac caths, and 22 operations! How amazing!!!!

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