Helena got her casts off with some help from Aaron Storey

After two months with full length leg casts, Helena finally was cleared to have them removed today!

Dr. Isidore (who is coming to a conference in Richland WA next week), prescribed a leg splint but none were available.  So, Highline Community Hospital's ER tech Aaron Storey made one out of the materials he could find.  Helena was happy, mom was happy and things are progressing along well.  

Our next step is getting some biphosphonates to strengthen her bones.  We are working with a group called Join Hands Tanzania out of Dar Es Salaam and hope to see some progress soon.

Saturday we are going swimming and starting physical therapy.  Thanks again Aaron!

Here's a quick video of Helena doing some exercises.   She will go in to get the casts off in the first week of September, and then, soon, we will go to see some specialists in Dar to get treatment for her Osteogenesis Imperfecta condition-  thanks to Join Hands Tanzania!  Please support them as they get started.

By the way, in the video I say, " Well done." and, "Are you feeling any pain?" to which she answers, "No!"

Pictures too Graphic for Gofundme.com!

Here are some pictures of actual children suffering from OI and Noma.   We are trying to raise money for Join Hands Tanzania to be registered as an NGO in Tanzania.  After establishing a page on gofundme, they took down our pictures because they were too graphic.  Well, here they are.  Sorry, at this time your donation is not tax deductible.  Donate at http://www.gofundme.com/Join-Hands-Tanzania or directly through paypal to daverosser@spu.edu

We understand that they removed the pictures because they are graphic and could be upsetting to look at, but imagine if this were your child and you had very limited resources!  What if you didn't have the choice to look away? What if these faces were looking to you for help? What would you do?

Update on Helena

TYou may be wondering, How is Helena doing?  

Well, here's the news.  After arriving back in Mwanza from a great vacation in Seattle visiting friends and family, we checked up on Helena and found out that, low and behold, her other femur had broken.  It seems she was trying to move her leg with the external fixator on the tibia, and the weight of this fixator snapped the bone.  This, along with the blue tint in the whites of Helena's eyes, has given Dr. isidore enough evidence to conclude that Helena has Osteogenesis mperfecta.  

Mom and Dad taking Helena down the stairs to the hospital to get her fixators removed.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or OI, is a genetic condition causing a deficiency in collagen making the bones brittle.  Straightening of bowed bones is a helpful operation, but now we now see that Helena needs special treatment to strengthen her bones by using biphosphonates.  

Trouble is, as you might have guessed, biphosphonates are hard to come by in a society that doesn't always have child doses of pain medecine!  So,  of late, we have been on the web and on the phone trying to find an organization that can help us obtain these valuable, but hard to come by drugs

The situation is further compounded by the fact that she will have to take this treatment at least through the end of puberty.

Your prayers have been and continue to be much appreciated.  Oh, and if you know of a doctor who has any experience in OI, and a benevolent heart, please pass on our contact info or tell them about this blog.

Also!
While we were in the US, our good friends Chris and Katie took up the charge of taking Helena to the hospital for her doctor appointments and x-rays.  To read more go to http://waldiesworld.blogspot.com/2013/06/busy-weeks.html

Buy some stuff, support Stephano!

SALE!!!!

Stephano from Tunaweza (a vocational school for young adults with disabilities) is trying to raise some money to build his mother a better house.  He has been hard at work making handbags, aprons, pouches and even iPad pouches!  We'll be arriving in Seattle on Saturday, but if you want to pre-order, send us an email with what you like and we'll hold it for you!

Shoulder Bag- $12

Shoulder bag-$12

Normal Pouch- $5

iPad pouch- $7

Camera pouch- $5

Foam Bag- $12

Foam Bag- $12

Clutch- $5

Shoulder Bag- $12

Shoulder Bag- $12

Apron- $12 (various colors below)

Back Home!

The climb up to the house.

Aside from some mildly rough seas, we had a safe and uneventful boat trip back to Mwanza,took some more x-rays and moved Helena back up the three flights of stairs to her house. She is there now, happy again to be with her family and free from needles and any other major sources of pain.

Some of you have expressed your support for Helena and her family's journey and have asked how you can help financially. For this we are very grateful and would like to share with you a list of some of the major and minor expenses so far for your information. Any financial gift may be sent through Maryknoll Lay Missioners at mklm.org/Rossers (which will be tax deductible) or through David's personal paypal account at daverosser@spu.edu. Either way 100% of your gift will go towards expenses for Helena's operation. As well, if you would like to send cards or small gifts such as puzzles or books (she is beginning to learn a little English so basic books like "Cat in the Hat" are good) they may be sent to PO Box 5021, Mwanza, Tanzania, E.A.C. Of course we will translate any cards that you write to Helena or her family and I am sure they would cherish any encouragement you have for them.

The last steps!

Here are some of her accrued financial expenses:
The complete operation- USD 275
Transportation to Bukoba by boat and hospital by car- USD 200
Pain Medication and Antibiotics- USD 18
3 Post-Op X-Rays- USD 18
Hospital Food- USD 20

Once again, it has been heart warming to hear about all of the people touched by Helena's story. The journey is far from over, but a major step has been taken successfully. Thanks for your continued prayers as she continues to recover and prayers for at least one further surgery to come in six months.

Back home!

Recovery is going well

Helena and Vivian were in good spirits when we visited them yesterday. You can see for yourself here-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3ySDg9kLlE

We are very pleased with how things are going and thankful for all of your prayers. We are humbled to be part of this long journey for Helena and her family and, while its not over, at least has made it past a big hurdle. Thanks again for all your support and all your prayers- and thanks be to our loving God whose plans no one can imagine and are full of goodness!

Tonight, Monday, if all goes to plan, the doctors want to release Helena and we will take the night ferry back to Mwanza. We devised a special chair that will allow her to be moved without moving her legs as much as possible. Please pray for a safe return home!

Vivian, Mama and Frank.  Vivian is recovering well.

Mama, Helena and David feeling much better.  Yesterday, the attempt to prop her legs up on the pillow was not a pleasant sight.  Today, it didn't seem to bother her and she was all smiles and having fun.

Happiness and her sister (far left) and Vivian's mom.  It's been great to see how the two mothers have really helped each other out and care for each others daughters like their own.  Both have done a great job learning the schedule for medicine and advocating for their daughters- something not often done in Tanzanian culture.

Karen and Caitlin making an improvised chair to carry Helena onto the boat tonight with.  If all goes well, we will return Monday night and this chair will hopefully keep Helena's legs from moving to much.