One by One, God's Faithfulness at Tenwek Hospital

“ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

The work at Tenwek Hospital continues day after day. The Lord graciously tempers the workload, but the flow of trauma and disease remains constant. Each day is a reminder that we live in a fallen world. Yet, God faithfully intervenes—moja moja ("one by one")—bringing hope and healing to each patient He places before us. Every day I ask the Lord for wisdom as I care for patients in clinic and the operating room. There never seems to be enough time to wait as patiently as I would like, so I move forward trusting that He will provide the wisdom, strength, and resources needed for each person He brings into my care.

Photo depicts CT scan image of large nasal/sinus mass eroding the upper jaw, palate, sinuses, and pushing on the eyes and CNS

One precious young patient came to us with severe nasal obstruction. You would never have guessed anything was wrong from her joyful smile. Hidden deep at the base of her skull, however, was a growing tumor that threatened her vision and was encroaching on her brain. Her CT scan (pictured above) revealed a massive tumor filling her nasal cavity and sinuses while extending toward her eyes and skull base. A biopsy identified a rare benign tumor called Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma. Although benign, this tumor has a high risk of recurrence. By God's grace, she underwent a successful endoscopic removal and is recovering well. We will continue to follow her closely in the months ahead.

Patient with nerve sheath tumor.  Operative view of mass deep to carotid, IJ, and multiple cranial nerves

Another patient had endured years of severe pain in the left side of his neck from a slowly enlarging mass. He had sought care at multiple hospitals where biopsies repeatedly showed only inflammation, yet his symptoms continued to worsen until he was no longer able to work. A CT scan at Tenwek revealed a large tumor extending deep behind the major blood vessels of the neck and reaching to the base of skull. After much prayer and discussion of risks with the patient, we proceeded with excision of a probable nerve sheath tumor. The surgery went remarkably well with the tumor originating from a deep sensory nerve. He recovered without any cranial nerve injuries. We give all the praise to the Lord for His protection and guidance throughout the operation.

The boda boda (motorcycle) business continues to keep us busy, with new facial trauma arriving almost daily. Treating these injuries often requires creativity because our supply of plates and screws are limited. We are grateful for the partnership of our orthopedic colleagues, who generously share equipment with us. The photo above shows the orthopedic plate cutters we use to modify plates so they can be adapted for repairing fractured jaws. They are far too big for an ENT surgeon, but they are a reminder that God often uses unexpected tools—and unlikely people—to accomplish His purposes.

Chase and Jimmy Miller