VVF - Vesicovaginal Fistula Time - Part II

I love these women! My heart breaks for them and what they've been through -something I can't fathom. I was priveledged to be a part of the VVF team on the ship, working with screening, teaching the day volunteers, charge nursing etc. We had eagerly waited for these 6 weeks to come and excited that the patients were now here! I think all the nurses on the ship were a bit hesitant to work with these women, because it's new to all of us (except the RN's who've previously worked on the ship). But all the nurses, staff, and nonmedical staff on the ship fell in love with these ladies. It's impossible not to.

VVF (vesico vaginal fistula), is a birthing injury resulting from obstructed labor. This obstructed labor can last from 3 days up to a week. This pressure causes a hole (fistula) to form between the bladder and vagina (sometimes also the ureters and rectum) causing women to constantly leak urine and sometimes stool as well. In most situations the women ends up delivering a stillborn child.

Most times women's husbands leave them, making them fend for themselves. These women then try to grow produce to sell in the market, but no one wants to buy from the women who smell like urine, thus making it hard to make a living. Not only do they struggle from their physical condition but also huge mental, emotional, social, and spiritual challenges! This entry I will explain a bit about the happenings, then later will include some patient stories.

We had a screening day on May 24th when 67 women came to the ship to see if they were a candidate for surgery. Many of these women have been to many different Dr's before and told there was nothing that could be done for them. Many visited traditional healers and tried different remedies, many women just didn't have the $ to afford these surgeries.

These women are beautiful. It's heartbreaking to see their solomn faces as you know there's so much of a life story behind those faces.
The women waiting on the ward to be examined by Dr Steve the VVF surgeon.

The pilots entrance (another one of our 'waiting areas').
I remember walking down the hall screening day and a wall of foul smelling urine just suddenly hits you. I couldn't help but laugh to myself...it was some good comic relief to think that we're going to have to get somewhat used to this smell for the next 6 wks.

It was so awesome to see these women being able to relate to other women in the same condition, having gone through similiar experiences.

Ghana world cup fever on the ward! It was great!

After the ladies catheters were removed, prior to them being discharged we had a dress/dance ceremony for them. New dresses were given to the women to signify a new life/healing. They are such beautiful women! They've felt so much shame with their conditions so for them to see themselves beautiful is awesome!

Love their smiles when they see how beautiful they are and how God has created them beautifully!

Love it!

The ward would celebrate...you could hear the celebrations a few decks up and down the hall.

The women would had a chance to share their testimonies.

Other post op women waiting for their catheters to come out to be the next ones to dance :)

Beautiful women!
Here is a photo taken from Maggie (VVF coordinator)'s blog. It's a collage of all the VVF women who came to the ship. Although each story is more important then numbers, I think numbers still play an important role in stewardship, accountability, etc. so here's a few:

6 weeks of surgery

120 surgical procedures on 99 women.

2 VVF surgeons

4 African surgeons trained in VVF surgery (2 Benin, 1 Rwanda, 1 Nigeria)

4 African nurses trained in care of the VVF patient (2 Rwanda, 2 Nigeria)

It's so encouraging to read how Jesus had compassion on women in very similiar condition - the woman with the issue of bleeding in Mark 5:24-34:

24. So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28. because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29. Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31. “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32. But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”