Concentrations lately? Cochlear Implants!!

Silviu and I

Dear Ones,   

Anca and I

          

As usual, things have not been dull and lots have been happening.  I last wrote to you about the trip I took in August to Lugoj, a town 5 hours away, to advocate for two kids, Silviu and Anca, who have severe to profound hearing loss and need cochlear implants.  They have been my concentration since then.  Amazingly enough, both of these kids were born in 2003, the same year that I came here.  Isn’t that amazing??  Did the Lord arrange all these things so that I would be here to help these kids?  I believe so!! 

Yesterday I heard from Silviu’s father that Silviu will be implanted with his cochlear implant NEXT WEEK and that Anca will be the next one!!  These are miracles accomplished by the Lord in record time – LESS THAN two months from the start of research to getting implanted!!  I am truly amazed how the Lord worked everything out for both families. 

What were all the events leading up to this? 

·         I attended an ENT Conference on September 21-25^th in Iasi (an 8 hour train ride) and was able to meet the ENT doctors in Timisoara who perform the cochlear implant surgery.   

·         Brought Anca up to Cluj to have two special tests done here since the equipment in Timisoara needed repair and we did not want to wait any longer.  Her parents had already been trying to get help for her for the last four years!  She had to be sedated for each test so the family spent the night at my place so we could do one test per day.  McDonald’s was her reward on both days – she had never eaten there before.

·         Anca and Silviu’s speech therapist, Lavinia, who has been my right hand in Lugoj in communicating with and teaching Anca’s parents what they needed to know about cochlear implants through DVD’s and materials we found.  She will play a major role in their rehab after implantation.

·         Prayers, prayers, prayers and the Lord’s favor!! 

               

Working on my visa again.  Please be praying that the Lord would show me His favor here as well and the process would move quicker than usual since I confess I started the paperwork a little late.  Oh, well!!

I would appreciate your prayers for these families as well – for His Comfort, for the surgery and the doctors performing it and for swift healing with no complications.   

Attached is a missionary update from my church.  It also tells of some of this story as well.  Plus I have attached some pictures of Silviu and Anca. 

Silviu sticking out his tongue

Enjoying our popsicles

Anca and Dad

Anca and Mom

Mom and I and "other things"!

It was a wonderful summer, particularly having my mother visit from July 14 – August 3rd.  She really enjoyed Rome, except for the 100 degree TROPICAL heat every day there with no air conditioning!  Thankfully, we had one in our room.  My sister, Paula, and brother in law, Steve, were there as well for their 28^th year Roman honeymoon!!  Then, Mom was here in Cluj for two weeks where she enjoyed meeting all the good friends the Lord has blessed me with.  Enjoy the pics of us at St. Peter’s Square and at the Vatican Museum.  

Steve, Mom and Paula

Mom & I at St. Peter's

The clinic was closed for August so I was able to take care of “other things”.  A major “other thing” was making a 10 day trip to Lugoj, a town 5 hours away from Cluj and an hour’s drive outside of Timisoara.  The dedicated time was necessary in order to accumulate as much accurate information from researching and phone calls in Romania and to Europe to help TWO families to make the best decision for their children regarding cochlear implantation – for 7 ½ year old Silviu and 6 ½ year old Anca.  Unfortunately the information is not out-in-the-open and the families had already received misleading advice.  I get the wonderful privilege of advocating for them, disseminating the complicated, specialized information and accompanying them to the appointments as well since they will get better treatment if I am there.  Sad but true!  I feel like a mommy tiger doing battle for her cubs at times!

 

Another couple of patients materialized as well whom I have the opportunity to help.  Neither is simple and both had lost hope for any improvement.  Then, the Lord brings them to me (or me to them!) and the magical blessing happens – knowing why the Lord sent one, willing audiologist to a country where the field of audiology does not exist.  I just find out where He is working and join Him in the fun!   May He get all the glory!!  Rejoice with me – October 3^rd will be 7 years since coming to Cluj!

The Various Hats of Responsibility!

Summer has arrived – temps already in the 90’s! I am enjoying my balcony and flowers right now this morning, listening to the birds and sounds of the city. Someone is beating their rug right now!

What has been happening since last writing? As usual, never dull and miracles still abounding with all the various HATS of responsibility I get to wear!! It seems like I have been dealing mostly with paperwork and technology regarding my Romanian non-profit. With my BUSINESS hat – contracts had to be written, signed and stamped to transfer all the equipment from my name into the name of the non-profit and then some collaboration contracts with the three different sites had to be drawn up to be all official. My ACCOUNTING/BOOKKEEPING hat – my accountant has been so helpful in teaching me how to receipt folks correctly in the Romanian system. A BIG deal!! Then, I get to share my new knowledge with others!! My TECHNICAL hat – miraculously, the county hospital agreed to pay for the calibration of the two pieces of equipment that I received back in 2004 and used by the doctor I collaborate with. Then, my computer elves helped me to repair the clinic computer which was not working right after the electrical surge two months ago – the video card got blitzed. The latest challenge is building a jack panel for a home-made testing booth made out of bricks (!) at one of the hospitals. Finding the right Romanian words and then hunting for the right parts are all part of the privilege I have of being here. And then, Praise the Lord, my AUDIOLOGICAL hat also gets used to come alongside patients, parents and friends in advocating, testing, caring, educating and counseling and helping some folks to hear better. The latest, sweetest privilege was being with the parents of a one-month-old sweetie born with a cleft palate during hearing testing at the pediatric hospital.

NEWSFLASH!! My mother will be coming here for a visit in July!! We will meet my sister, Paula and my bro-in-law, Steve, in Rome for 4 days and then fly back to Cluj for a two week visit.

Also, starting next week, I will be leading an inductive bible study on Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, for 6 weeks spring-boarding us into an overview of Old Testament history. Should be exciting! I could surely use your prayers!

PS: Ask me sometime about the policeman “angel” the Lord sent down to tell me that my car inspection was expired and my insurance was about to expire. He helps me in all ways!!

Enjoy your summer!

Sagas of Equipment Demons, Moths and More!

As usual, things ain’t been dull! I have had some equipment demons lurking around trying to throw me off-guard as well as moths trying to drive me crazy. They have not succeeded as yet!!

At the clinic, after protecting my equipment as best I could, there was still a surge after they installed a voltage regulator for the whole building which blew out my vitally-needed programming box for my newer digital hearing aids. After thinking the worst, some guys here in Cluj familiar with the equipment were able to replace the fuses and re-install the software to get me up and running. Praise the Lord for that!! There was also a 7-week saga with my otoscope for only replacing a bulb – Hello!! Something which would have usually only taken me ONE telephone call in the States!! The moth saga led to a wool rug under my bed as their munching ground. I do not like seeing those critters!!

Regarding the non-profit, I am finally seeing my way clear and feeling like I have a handle on the book-keeping and accounting. Previous to that it felt like a huge insurmountable task but the Lord has helped me to get organized, understand the Romanian system better and to manage all these new administrative hats I get to wear.

A recent patient was 16-year-old Samuel from a family of 13, five of whom have significant hearing loss. He wanted so badly to wear an in-the-ear hearing aid because the kids made fun of the behind-the-ear models which he had which were now lost or stolen. I normally cannot accommodate this request but I was able to realize his dream because of a donated, digital, in-the-ear hearing aid from Dave DeHuff donated from his father’s estate after his father’s death. Thanks, Dave! We arranged for another digital, in-the-ear model for his other ear. Also please be praying along with me for the success of the double eardrum repair surgery of Ioan Gorgan. Appreciate it!

Happy Resurrection Season of Christ and of His Spring! Gotta get my balcony flowers out!

News from your ears in Romania!

Had a lovely Christmas with Madeline here – we covered 1200 miles traveling from Budapest to interesting places of Romania, always just a little ahead of the snow.

We are now well into 2010 and progress has been made here. I found an excellent accountant who gave me the most comprehensive information I have received about what I can and can’t do financially, legally and visa-wise with my Romanian non-profit. So helpful!! The learning curve will already be great and I needed someone who would help me to learn along the way and I certainly found one.

Three weeks ago I started seeing patients again at the Petros clinic. One day a week is enough for right now since each patient can take a lot of time – some are very complicated and I get to be their patient advocate helping them put pieces of their medical puzzle together and acting a little like Sherlock Holmes investigating what the best approach would be for them. One patient, in particular, might be having the same surgery I had on my ear on BOTH of his ears and he has had the problem for 40 years! The other option for him will be to research a bone-implanted hearing aid. We will see. The interesting part is – even without advertising the patients the Lord ordains for me to help always seem to find me. My beautiful red business cards have become an advertisement!

While learning how to manage the financial aspects of the non-profit I have also been able to make sure that the audiometer at Petros is protected from the electrical irregularities that exist in the industrial area where Petros is located. This week I had an excellent electrician help me to get a dedicated line put in, as well as getting a stronger voltage regulator. With such good accounting and electrical advisors, it makes my job easier, praise the Lord for that. I am wearing enough hats as it is!

Our International ladies Bible study of about 20 ladies is also enjoying the book of Ephesians, a powerful book for all of us. Remember the hope we have in Him, the only Hope for the future.


PS. Here is a pic or two for you. For more pictures, go to Facebook.