Teacher Grace on TV!!

KSFY, a local television station in Sioux Falls, ran a story on Tr. Grace's miracle surgery. You can see the video at this link: Avera Medical Minute: Grateful Patient from Uganda or check out the transcript below. (I'll be honest, it's so touching that it might make you cry.)

By Nancy Naeve Brown
Story Created: Jan 8, 2009 at 6:34 PM CST
Story Updated: Jan 9, 2009 at 7:50 AM CST
Avera McKennan's mission is to provide the highest quality of health care, without limits, to those in need even if they are half a world away. Avera Dr. Leonard Gutnik spear headed a charitable effort to bring a Uganda woman to Sioux Falls to have a deadly optical tumor removed. We met up with a very grateful Teacher Grace (that's what she is called in her native country) before she went home to Africa with a new lease on life.
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Grace says, "Very many things I've never seen in my life. Very many. Like snow. I've never seen snow and I've never been on a plane until this trip."
Grace Lusweswe is a teacher in a small village 20 miles from her home in Uganda. They have very little electricity or running water. They also don't have the medical care we have. For 2 years, Grace says her right eye was trying to come out of her head. She lost vision in that eye, suffered horrible headaches and would get confused easily.
Grace says, "I took medicine for it for two years. No one could tell me what was wrong or what was causing it. Not until it was too late did they tell me I have a tumor and nothing could be done. No doctors in Uganda could perform surgery on my brain so I lost hope.
Hope was restored when Teacher Grace met an American who was volunteering at her school (Arlington Academy of Hope) last spring who just happened to have a lot of connections at Avera McKennan: Internist Dr. Leonard Gutnik with Avera Gutnik and Associates.
Dr. Gutnik says, "My stepdaughter, Charlee Vorhees, was teaching in Uganda for 3 months last year when she met Grace. Charlee started fundraising to help with the tumor Grace had in her eye. Her eye was being pushed out of her head."
Grace says, "All the time I was thinking I'm going to die and leave my children."
She has 5 children ranging in age from 24 to 12.
Dr. Gutnik says, "She was in a lot of pain and no one in Uganda could help. That's when I started talking to the folks at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls to see if we could help Teacher Grace."
Graces journey here was a long one. The flight time alone from Uganda to Amsterdam to DC to Minneapolis to Sioux Falls was more than 23 hours. Grace says it was a trip of a life time, but also a lifesaver.
Grace says, "For the first time to get someone to welcome you like that it's so wonderful."
Avera Neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Puumala and a whole host of staff graciously agreed to help Grace.
Dr. Gutnik says, "Dr. Puumala was so kind, as was Fred Slunecka, (Regional President at Avera McKennan) and all the staff at the hospital to help bring Grace here. Two weeks ago (the middle of December) Dr. Puumala removed the tumor from her eye and brain. Her eye has settled back in to her head. She sees a little bit of light and dark and so this has been a very successful journey."
Grace's prognosis is good. The hope is her vision will be restored, but if doesn't come back completely at least it won't get any worse. Dr. Puumala believes the tumor will stop growing. Her pain and pressure is also gone.
Grace says, "Now when I move my hand below my face I can see a shadow moving. Before I couldn't see anything."
While Grace recovered from surgery she stayed with Dr. Gutnik and his wife Jo Lea who say the pleasure was all theirs.
Gutnik, "It's been a delightful holiday for our family." His wife Jo Lea says, "she is so interesting and a happy person and she really has blessed our lives."
Grace says, "Now it's done (surgery) I'm very happy."
And thanks to Dr. Gutnik and so many at Avera McKennan, Teacher Grace can now set her sight on the future and it looks a whole lot brighter now.
On her trip home, Grace flies out of D.C. where she plans to spend a few days with her friend Charlee and get a tour of our nation's capitol.

2008 and the Holidays

2008 was an incredible year for me. It was one of the most memorable and experience filled years of my life. It has also been one of the most challenging of my 26 years. Replete with travels, work, relationships, family events, hobbies, etc., my world has been richly expanded. I am very blessed indeed. A few highlights include spending several months in the most beautiful village on earth, Bumwalukani, Uganda, my brother's beautiful wedding, visiting family over the 4th of July and celebrating my birthday at home, working at USAID on the President's Malaria Initiative, seeing friends and family in NYC, Utah, Virginia Beach, and of course, DC, loving and having dated a great friend, going through the LDS Temple, and finding medical help for a friend from Uganda who could not be treated there. Through all of these things, I have learned and grown so much.

Those who know me well know that December has been particularly challenging while at the same time, absolutely rewarding. For a moment, I want to focus on the good things that happened last month that have, on a moment by moment basis, reminded how wonderful life is.

I went home to South Dakota. The average high while I was there was 7 degrees Fahrenheit with a few days not breaking zero. The big plus - a WHITE Christmas! Here's the view from the front window of the house I grew up in:

Secondly, I unexpectedly got to be home for 2 weeks and this is why: If you've been reading my blog, you should know about Teacher Grace. She is a friend of mine from Uganda who had a tumor that could not be treated there. I tried everything to help her and finally, Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls offered to take her case. After a struggle to get a Uganda passport and US visa, and organize a hundred other details, she few into Sioux Falls on December 17th for tests, scans, and appointments with doctors and ultimately brain surgery on the 23rd. The diagnosis was a menengioma - a benign brain tumor that would continue to grow and eventually could harm her pituitary gland and was already causing blindness. The surgery went well and she is recovering miraculously. Her story is one of incredible generosity, an undeniable work of God, and tremendous will power of everyone involved to make big things happen for someone in great need. Since I was young, I have believed that great lengths are worth the effort to help people, but I never imagined just how great of length could really be reached by my own influence. The whole thing was by no means my own doing. It was a beautiful miracle that I got to be a part of.

Here's a picture of Grace:

Third, I have learned that somedays do happen! Being Mormon, I have always looked forward to going to the Temple. The lyrics to my favorite Primary Song say, "I love to see the Temple, I'm going there someday." My someday came! In reverence for the sacredness of the Temple, I just want to say it was beautiful and I'm excited to go back! I love the Temple!

Here are a couple pictures of my dad and sister and me at the Winter Quarters Temple:

Fourth, I LOVE ice skating. My dad and I tried out the ol' rusty skates we have at an out door rink the other evening. At first I was cautious, but once I got comfortable, I began to try out spins and turns and arabesques and all sorts of tricks. Finally I was the only person out so I confidently began to glide as fast as I could around the rink. Suddenly, my toe stuck and I crashed! I slid for what felt like several minutes in slow motion. Once I came to a halt, I sat up and breathed it out. My right knee and left hip felt pain, but I knew I was OK. I slowly got up and called it a night. But, I was SO proud of myself! I fell! I fell hard and it didn't hurt me too bad!!! I've always been afraid of falling. As a result, I've been quite risk averse when it comes to physical things like pirouettes in ballet, skiing, cartwheels, roller coasters (yes, I know), and even when walking and running. It was SO cool to fall and survive! :)

Here are is a picture of the battle wounds:

Swollen knee - YIKES! (You should see the bruise, but I'll save you that nasty pic)

Finally, while I was home, I reflected a lot on what I like to do and what I want to fill my time with in 2009. I am excited to start a graduate program. I also want to get back into hobbies like yoga, golf, reading, sewing, cooking, making friends, and everything else I do to explore the world. To start off this effort, I knitted a scarf the other day! Check it out:

Well, as you can see, many good things are happening right now! And I just want to thank all of you for being rad friends and superb family. I can't help but realize that each of you contributes to the abundance in my life! I wish you a Happy New Year and hope yours to be one of learning and love!