Surgery on the Back Porch

I have written about Exantus many times. You can read his story here and here .

Dr. White met Exantus a year and a half ago on his 1st medical mission trip here. He debrided and prescribed antibiotics, treating him daily for the week he was here- and then dressing changes continued for some time after his departure- but eventually Exantus stopped coming and we lost touch with him.

Then in January Rusty crossed paths with him again while on a door- to -door evangelism walk through the village. His leg had become badly infected and he was in danger of losing his leg. Rusty arranged for surgery & hospital after-care for him. He received IV antibiotics for 3 months.You can see from the scarred skin surrounding the wound where it began healing post-surgery, but, in spite of our efforts to help him with his terrible, gangrenous leg wound it still did not heal before infection again set in. Dr. White had not given up on this sweet man and began asking around for help for him. He was given this skin graft material with live cells to use on Exantus in an effort to speed the healing process so that the wound can be closed.

Before their bags were even unpacked, Melinda and Mike went to work on Exantus nasty, stinking knee. With no sterile exam room option they instead settled for a folding chair, a school desk and a fan - outside on the back porch ! The fan was to keep the flies off during the procedure. First, Dr. White explains the procedure and shows Exantus the skin graft material that will soon become a part of him. Then he begins the task of debriding- cutting away the diseased and rotting flesh that is preventing growth and healing.

Next, the skin graft is prepared.

I don't know all the technical, medical terms for what happened next... but this thin material that had been soaked in that little dish of solution was gingerly applied. This is where the living cells are (I'm pretty sure about that) Then, another more substantial material was placed over that.

Next, steri -strips were applied and the knee all bandaged up to keep it clean and dry.

Micheline and Mike work together to make sure Exantus understands proper care of his leg until he returned in a week and also instructions for taking the antibiotics which would prevent infection from again interrupting the healing process.

We're still praying and waiting to see if the skin graft took and if his leg heals completely, but in any case Dr. Mike is a hero to Exantus .... us, too.