I’m a Survivor!

Today is my 6th Anniversary of being an Ovarian Cancer Survivor!

Most women with ovarian cancer do not find out about it until they are in the later stages of the disease. I had a very rare type (composite thecoma granulosa) that produced Estrogen hormone. This extra hormone in my body gave me symptoms, leading to early detection of the disease. In fact, I had surgery for another reason and did not find out I had cancer until the laboratory report came back AFTER the surgery. Then my symptoms made sense.

I had had a friend and colleague die of ovarian cancer so I was blessed to have had it found early, in stage one. Praise the Lord! I had no radiation nor chemo-therapy was necessary.

Today's Positives:

1. I am a 6 year ovarian cancer survivor!

2. I have almost 10,000 steps in today and it's not supper yet.

Entrance Exams 2010!

Today the Nursing School had entrance exams for determining the next class of students. Twenty six people took the exams. About a dozen will be selected to start Nursing school in September. Here are some random photos from today.

Coupé-Coupé (Central African barbecue)

I live in Gabon, Africa and I like to eat Coupé-Coupé (Central African barbecue), especially the chicken.  There are two places in town that sell Coupé-Coupé.  "Couper" is a French word meaning "to cut". It is beef or chicken which is grilled on a crude open fire grill and then chopped up and wrapped in Aluminum foil for a fast "take out" food. I either eat it with my fingers or else I put it in bread for a sandwich.

Check out the recipe for this barbecued meat using this link:

http://www.congocookbook.com/meat_recipes/coupe_coupe.html

This recipe is found in  "The Congo Cookbook". I don't know which Congo this refers to but I do know that many of the foods are foods and recipes that the Gabonese eat.

There are two countries called Congo. One was the Belgian Congo and has been called Zaire, but is now called The Democratic Republic of Congo (capital city Kinshasa). The second Congo was the French Congo and it was part of the French Equatorial Africa before it's independence. It is now the called the Republic of Congo (capital city Brazzaville)! It is the Republic of Congo that borders with Gabon, where I live. In fact, I live in the southern part of Gabon, very near to the border of Republic of Congo. We get patients at our hospital from that country.

I mostly eat what I fix, which is American food. I do eat African food when I am in the homes of African friends or at some potluck dinner. We also have some restaurants in town that fix African foods.

Enough of this history and geography. Now for a photo of grilled snake! This snake is being grilled right over on the fire, rather than on a crude grill that the Coupé-Coupé is grilled on. Yes, snake DOES taste like chicken.

On the Street Where I Live!

I live on the right side of a cement block duplex. Here it is, complete with the satellite dish for my TV reception.


I live in a community, next to the hospital were I work here in Africa. There are about 16 housing units on our "station". Hospital personnel living and working here are from the U.S.A., Gabon, Guinea (Conakry), Congo (Kinshasa) and Mali.

The housing on our hilltop is sparse, with lots of park-like space between most houses.

Today's Positives:
1. I'm keeping up my steps, walking over 10,000 steps today.
2. It's Friday!
3. I'm feeling well today.
4. I finished almost all the letters to applicants who desire to take the Nursing School entrance exams on June 12th.

Nursing School Graduation!

 

Graduation for Bongolo Nursing School was held yesterday at the end of the Bongolo church service. The class of eight entered the church from the back, doing the "African Shuffle" as the worship choir sang and the instruments played (electric keyboard, guitar).

The Medical director, Keir Thelander, gave a speech. Next was the Alliance district Superintendent, Pastor Mbesse. I then gave a short speech as the Director of the Nursing school then I gave out Diplomas.  The Bongolo church was packed.

Many photos were taken, including this one with the eight new Nurses and three of their professors, Lisa Nicky, Moungala Claude and myself. Two other Professors,  Rebecca Thompson and Karen Fitch, were not able to attend Graduation because they were in the States.

After the Graduation ceremony a reception was held for the new Nurses and their invited guests. Lisa Nicky made a sheet cake and Joanna Thelander helped her decorate it. Other ladies on the Station also made cakes: Wendy, Deb, Joanna , Meladee and myself. Elaine Greene and some of the Hospital employees helped serve about eighty people who were at the reception.

Praise the Lord for HIS help for these new nurses during these past twenty nine months of studies!

Graduation Dinner!

Last evening I took the Bongolo Nursing students and two other professors (Lisa and Claude) out to eat at a local restaurant, "Chez Marie Therese". Some of them had never before been to this restaurant. We were celebrating their Graduation which was held this morning! Each of the eight students could invited his or her spouse or family member. There were nineteen of us in all.

Marie prepared rice, fermented manioc root, French fried sweet potatoes, fish chicken in palm nut sauce, porcupine and another one or two wild bush meat dishes. There was more food on our private buffet table than we could eat and the rest of the food was taken home by the new graduates!