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.

Blessings of that Peace that came 2000 years ago!

Praise the Lord with me – my visa papers are finally all in!! I will be getting a year at a 50% price reduction - the best bargain in town! I have still been “hunting and gathering” business and accounting information and advice on how best to process donations through my Romanian-style non-profit (and believe me – it is different from an American-style non-profit!!) To that end, I decided to only start seeing patients into the New Year. I am still learning what forms need to be filled out for what and the importance of the stamp in this stamp-based culture! An inventory still has to be set up along with an accounting program as well as many other things for me to be up and running, but at least progress is being made.

At the beginning of December I got a quick visit from an American audiologist, Julie Peterson. We will see what the future holds for some collaboration. For now she will be busy studying for the same clinical doctorate that I have.

I am looking forward to my sister, Madeline, visiting me over Christmas 10 days. I hope to pick her up in Budapest on the 22nd and to show her some of Cluj and then visit Sighisoara, Sibiu and Brasov in the middle of the country. It has been snowing for 3 days straight with temperatures in the 20’s so the roads will have to be clear over the 100 km of mountains for me to drive to Budapest. Please pray along with me for good weather, health and strength to prevail for us to have a blessed time with one another. Healthwise, I have been fighting something for a while now and my sister Madeline as well.

I pray that you all are abundantly blessed this Christmas season of Christ’s birth and that He will be with you all into the New Year of 2010.

October Update - 6 years and still not dull!

It has been five weeks since arriving back in Romania. We have already fast-forwarded into winter this past week with snow and some freezing temps. Getting re-adjusted to time and place, though, felt like I was going in slow motion reverse for a while, not good if you try to drive around here. By driving too early, I unfortunately dented my car going into my own garage! In my second week back I also caught a GI bug which also slowed me down a bit.

Right now I am concentrating on getting the business aspects of my non-profit up and running. Forms need to be written and translated and new protocols established. Most importantly, I am gathering information and meeting with folks with non-profit experience or bookkeeping and accounting experience. I want to process the monies accurately using some sort of accounting program and with the very different Romanian rules and regulations regarding finances, I know I cannot be too careful. The learning curve is great but little by little things are becoming clearer. I am also starting the visa process under my non-profit and will meet with the lawyer for help with that. Please pray along with me for all the decisions that need to be made – that I will rely on the Lord’s help. Thanks! At times it all feels overwhelming but He has seen me through everything so far and He is a God who does not forsake His children. We made it through the doctoral studies so anything is possible. Right?? Of course right!!

Rejoice with me that it has been six years this month since starting on this Romanian audiological and spiritual adventure. I said it would not be dull when I embarked on this journey and it certainly has been anything but dull!

Heading to the other side of the Pond!

The hour of my departure is quickly approaching! I will be leaving on Thursday, Sept. 10th at 6PM. Every day here in the States has been very needful and necessary for health, vacation with family, rest, business development for the new initiative of purchasing hearing aids, personal fund-raising and equipment-raising, and last but not least, for my own new hearing aids. Ask me about my new, cool Bluetooth hearing aids. I can talk on the phone through them!!

Incredible things have been accomplished in my 4 months – I will be leaving with 23 new hearing aids (half of them were purchased through the charity concert at my church, COS, the other half through donations directly to the Romanian Hearing Project). I have also been able to develop business relationships as a 501 (c) 3 umbrella’ed under International Teams with many hearing aid manufacturers. Also, a husband and wife team has graciously offered to help me set up a website, so stay tuned for that. Which country do you think her family comes from?? You got it – Romania! Health has improved as well – my thyroid is now better balanced and my sleep has improved. Praise the Lord for both of those things. I was also blessed to be able to go to a nutritionist while here to build up my immune system.

It was great meeting with many of yous (Philly speak for the plural of “you”). For those of you considering supporting me in this ministry or increasing your present support, NOW would be a great time to start. I appreciate you all for your partnership with me in this ministry. The next time you hear from me I will be on the other side of the “pond”.

Whirlwind of summer celebrations and travel!!

There has been a whirlwind of activity since arriving in the US on May 14th – graduation in Philly on May 22nd, a terrific graduation party the same day here at Linda’s. Then on May 28th, I left for 3½ weeks of travel to visit family – a week in Spokane visiting my father for his 84th birthday (he is doing well), then 5 days with my sister, Margaret, and her family in Salem, OR, and meeting my mother there, then flying with my mother for 2 weeks in Hawaii to visit my sister, Barbara, along with an aunt and uncle and a cousin and his wife who joined us there. Hawaii was beautiful – snorkeled every day and saw many fishies with wide-mouthed grins and turtles galore.

The latest scoop is that I will be staying longer in the States – until September 10th. Over the last 3 years, the Lord has wondrously provided for me since my last fund-raising in 2006, most particularly in the last 2½ years during my doctoral studies when I would not have been able to dedicate the time. Currently I have lost some support and now need to spend some time in personal support-raising AND for some equipment-raising, particularly for hearing aids.

Now that my non-profit, “Asociatia Pro Audiologie”, is fully established in Romania, I will be able to initiate a new model of dispensing hearing aids by purchasing low-cost hearing aids as well as continuing to dispense donated hearing aids. To start this new thrust, “it just so happened” that my church, Church of the Saviour in Wayne, PA, had a charity concert on June 26th which sponsored the Romanian Hearing Project and raised $1000!! This gift will purchase some of the first hearing aids for this new initiative.

During my time here, some lovely folks at COS have offered use of their cars. I still have need of a car for my extended time here past July 23rd. If you happen to be vacationing during July 23rd to Sept. 10th and have need of some “car-sitting” during that time, please let me know.

Hope you are having a blessed summer and look forward to seeing many of you.

Graduation Day at Salus University!!

Graduation Day was May 22, 2009 in Philadelphia. Here is a look of exultation which reminded me of a picture taken when I was five years old. See if you can pick me out in the picture.

The Scoop on soon-to-be Dr. Trish!

Here’s the scoop! Coming down to the final lap of the home stretch of all these studies – have already scheduled my comprehensive exam for April 24th and that is only 22 days away!! Ten more days with these last two courses and then STUDY, STUDY, STUDY for the comprehensives on April 24th and I AM DONE!!

A treat that will be happening during this time as well is that Mike Webb is coming for a visit with his wife and his two youngest kids arriving this coming Tuesday until April 16th.

A special prayer request is for health (fighting a cold, or possible sinus infection, right now!), strength, perseverance discipline and brain cells. I praise Him that He has given me great health and strength up to this point.
Looking forward to seeing many of you when I am stateside from May 14th to July 23rd.

Happy Spring Season of Christ’s Resurrection! We have power to overcome because of His Resurrection Power!

To my Cheerleaders - THANKS!!

Two more courses were finished two weeks ago and now we are coming to the culmination, the final stretch of my doctoral studies – the final two courses were started this week. I have already gotten up twice this week at 3AM to attend my “virtual” classrooms online. I will surely NOT miss getting up in the middle of the night when finished! The task of doing these two challenging courses looks impossible and overwhelming at times but I know the Lord has called me to this and has given me the power and strength up to this point and He will do the same in this final stretch. I just have to stay at it and take it one baby step at a time. This session will be finished on April 12th and then I have to take a comprehensive exam before leaving to go home on May 14th for graduation on May 22nd in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Audiology which is now called Salus University. So, appreciate your prayers that I accomplish everything well before leaving in May.

I plan to be in the States for two months until July 23rd. I hope to be able to procure some more hearing aid donations while home. I have not been able to dispense as many hearing aids as before but I believe the establishment of the non-profit is the correct way of doing things so I pray some blessings will ensue once that is established. Thankfully I can say the paperwork is finally going forward. I am working with a lawyer and I would say that we are about half-way to establishing it. Isn’t that a praise!?!? Then I will be official.

At the Petros Clinic, I saw a poor fellow yesterday who has a hearing loss similar to mine all of his adult life and has never worn hearing aids. I can certainly relate to his situation. It is only by God’s sweet grace that I have good hearing from great hearing aids. We’ll give him, and his family, a new lease on life next week with one hearing aid in the hopes that I can give him another soon. And, at the pediatric hospital, I am thrilled to announce that the equipment there is now calibrated!! You don’t know what that does to an audiologist’s heart!!

Thankful to you all. You have been my cheerleaders in accomplishing all these things.

Progress & Christmas JOY!!

Here is my end-of-the-year Christmas update. Finished my last course for 2008 the week before Thanksgiving and then on Wednesday, Nov. 26th, I traveled to Bucharest to be with the Dr. Carmen Mocanu, the doctor at the pediatric hospital, who was there for the only audiology course at the only Ear Institute in Romania. The course is offered by Dr. Pascu, the head-honcho of all ENT’s here in Romania. I had heard so much about him and it was great to finally meet him. A wonderful benefit to Carmen’s visit was that Dr. Pascu designated our pediatric audiology center at the pediatric hospital instead of the main hospital of Cluj as the site for neonatal hearing testing after failed hearing screenings in the nursery. This was nothing short of a miracle. Progress continues!!

Progress continues as well with the non-profit slowly but surely. I finally had to admit that I could not do this by myself, so I am incorporating help wherever possible and hope to make big strides of progress in January 2009. I am hoping as well to translate and incorporate the concept of the JOY of hearing into the Romanian name of the non-profit.

This concept of the JOY of hearing was evident this month in a particular hearing aid patient I want to tell you about. I it gave me JOY to be able to use my skills to help her to hear again and to re-confirm once again why the Lord sent me here. She has what is known as otosclerosis which is usually an operable hearing condition. Her mother had the same condition and the whole family believed there was nothing to be done. Somehow (only the Lord knows), she found her way to me. Previously, no one had diagnosed her correctly and none of her hearing tests accurately revealed her condition. Her hearing loss was profound – at the bottom of the audiogram. A dear family friend in the US, Mary Healy, had the same condition and passed away in 2006 and Jim, her husband, gave me her special headband and hearing aid. I was able to jerry-rig a bit of equipment that I had with Mary’s special headband to help Mrs. Puscariu to hear once again.

Dad's progress - Getting the doctorate done!

There has been a change of plans since I last wrote. My father is doing well, stabilized, does not need chemotherapy right now and is on a wait-and-see mode with his doctors for a recheck in 3-6 months. Since he is doing well, I have decided to stay on this side of the pond for Christmas and concentrate on my courses which start up again on January 6th. PLUS, since I have really only four (yes, 4!) more required courses to take for my doctorate, I have decided to double up on them in the next two sessions from January to April, take my comps and graduate in May 2009 instead of 2010. Previously I had thought of adding more courses.

I did not make this decision lightly. The Lord has impressed upon me a sense of urgency in getting this off my plate so that I can concentrate on other things. Two and half years of study will be long enough, I think. The Lord never gives us something to do unless He provides the power and there is power in prayer. Appreciate your prayer partnership with me in this for endurance and continued health to accomplish this.

Still moving forward slowly but surely with the non-profit paperwork. Hope to be able to concentrate on it fully when my current course is over in 2 weeks. Am seeing some patients at Petros tomorrow and the doctor I have been working with at the pediatric hospital has been making wonderful progress. I am very proud of her.

This month is my birthday month (the 25th) and I will be 55. Yup, it is true! Thanksgiving is a few days after that. This Thanksgiving 2008 may we remember to acknowledge all of the God-given things around us and be thankful for them all. He is still actively working in our midst.