LEAVING TODAY

We are packed and ready to go.  We spent Sunday afternoon at Mission Heart in Central City packing for the trip.  Each of us has 2 large (50 lb) checked bags mostly full of medical supplies.  We are only allowed at 15 lb carryon - backpack, so we're all weighed to 49.5 lb and 14 lb respectively.

I wanted to add pictures of us packing, but my photos

ZAMBIA PREPARATIONS

We are nearing our departure date for Zambia.  Kim, a nurse from Lincoln, is the team leader and heading out in a week with a smaller group. We've had a saga about anesthesia.  The Chifundo clinic added on to their building to make it possible to do more surgery.  They have already been able to do cataract surgery, but now we're adding general anesthesia.  We have a CRNA who has done missions in the past and traveled a lot.  To that end, we have procured an anesthesia machine.  Initially we thought we had one donated from a hospital that closed.  It was to be shipped on a cargo container in March, but time was running out so we bought a different machine and at the last minute received the donated machine too.  They both got on the container, but we just found out it was hung up in Singapore.  In addition to all that, we've had a donation of a portable anesthesia machine just this week from a retired Army anesthetist that we decided we'd better take along in case the container doesn't arrive in time.

This is the whole thing.  It weighed around 85 lb.  We picked up the portable machine - it's never been used and was from an Army surplus place in 1997. 

It is shiny and new and looks totally workable, even coming with the instruction manual, but the big problem we found is that it's too heavy for the checked bags.  It would cost $400 each way on United airlines, but Emirates airlines won't allow this much weight at all.  Sooooooo.....  John (the fixit guy) now has figured out how to take it apart to carry it in pieces so the weight will be OK.

This is the machine opened up and taken apart. 

It looks like it will all come together OK.  We have anesthetics to take also and will split them up into several suitcases in case of luggage problems.  We've got it all covered through TSA and the airlines.  Who knows? Maybe we'll end up with 3 anesthesia machines.  

We're getting commissioned at Federated Church in Columbus next Sunday and will be packing in Central City the following Sunday.  Anyone who is interested in donating to our cause can make checks payable to Columbus Medical Mission Team and send it to Federated Church, 2704 15th St.

Columbus NE 68601.  It will help cover the machine we bought and additional supplies ordered.  There seem to be more expenses than usual since we are starting up general anesthesia at the Chifundo Clinic in Zambia.  We are all getting excited for the trip.