February 2002

Dear Friends,

I have asked you in the past to pray that I would find my niche and work here at the hospital, and I want you to know that your prayers have been answered! I have almost mastered the dialysis work on the computer. On top of that, it has been decided that I should get into the files and update the history of the hospital from 1964. That should take about a year and a half.

Christmas was a hard time for me, as for most of us away from home. I went to Cairo to spend the holiday with the other Americans, but I wasn’t really comfortable there. Then the Eastern Christmas came on January 7. A few days before, we had a staff party. On Christmas morning, I made pancakes for the four staff members who were still in my building. I made them with leban zabatti (yogurt), and they turned out great.

As in all hospitals, we have our emergencies. One involved yours truly. We have a retired nurse, Miss Sanura, living in the same building as I. In the past several years she has had glaucoma and cataracts in both eyes. She has completely lost the vision in the right eye, and it became infected. About two weeks ago, she came to my door crying and in severe pain. She had stooped over to pick up a slipper, and hot liquid poured out of her eye. She kept saying, "It feels like it’s on fire." I was the one person she could reach. I was frantic, but got the only two doctors I could reach quickly—a surgeon and a kidney specialist! They were able to give her some relief, and we made an appointment with the ophthalmologist. He decided the eye had to be removed, and we had a difficult time keeping this from her until just before the operation, when Dr. Mamdouh explained it to her. She took it very well and agreed with the decision, and the operation was done three days after the onset of the problem. She was depressed, of course, but is beginning to perk up some, and when the prosthesis is in, I think she will feel and look better.

A couple of months ago, Nashwa, a 22-year-old Muslim woman, was admitted to the hospital at 4:00 a.m. in a state of terminal shock. Neither pulse nor blood pressure could be measured. About six hours after admission, she was taken to the operating room and Dr. Sammy found a long, gangrenous loop of intestine. Resection was done and the patient went to intensive care in a critical, unstable condition. She gradually improved, but on the fifth day she started leaking through the surgical wound. Again Dr. Sammy operated and another resection was done. After five hours the patient went again to intensive care in a more stable condition. She was managed conservatively and kept on intravenous nutrition. She started oral nutrition gradually and slowly improved. After 58 days, Nashwa was discharged in stable condition. Her fistula was closed and the surgical wound was well healed. We had prayed for her recovery each day in chapel, and on the day she was discharged, we had a large prayer meeting attended by many of the doctors and nurses and members of her family. God had answered our prayers and through the dedicated hands of Dr. Sammy had brought Nashwa back to her family. She left with a video tape of the life of Jesus and took a New Testament. (Nashwa just called to tell us she is engaged!)

In addition to my duties, I am taking Arabic lessons and giving English lessons. My 8-year-old student is a joy and a very bright and lovable little girl.

So my days are full, and about once a week I try to have some members of the staff to my flat for a meal. This gives me a chance to practice my cooking and get better acquainted with these dedicated people.

I can’t believe I have been here five months already. I’m looking forward to visits from some of you this summer. It is very safe here.

Grace and Peace,

Shirley Birth