Emmanuel was a 2 year old male with more than a year of difficulty breathing. He would gasp for air because of a large growth on his soft palate blocking the back of his throat and airway. According to his mother, Emmanuel would lose consciousness 3 times a day on average because of lack of oxygen. His parents took him to a doctor in Kinshasa, Congo, but they told them that the tumor was inoperable. His father works at the port in Congo where the Mercy Ship arrived. When Emmanuel’s father saw the ship come into the harbor he said, “I believe that God sent the ship to us.”
Working side by side with Dr. Mark Shrime, Gary Parker and Michelle White on this case was wonderful. They are excellent doctors. The anesthetic aspect of the case was challenging because his airway was already severely narrowed by the mass. Dr. Mark Shrime was able to do a fiberoptic nasal intubation.
He is now learning to speak French, the official language of Congo. His speech and development are severely delayed because of chronic lack of oxygen. We are praying that he will make significant gains this year.
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