Searching for Bonobo in Congo

Jeanne in the hospital waiting for Tuesday to come — with some trepidation.

We are relieved. More correctly we are hopeful – even confident – that Jeanne will be able to walk again.

We went to Jeanne’s uncle; we went to Jeanne’s older brother. We pleaded with them to convince the family. Finally Tuesday night after all-family caucus the family agreed. The next day she was on the plane with her aunt and a medical doctor, Doctor John. The airlines require a medical caretaker.

Now we are asking for your help. We estimate the total cost (airfare, hospital stay, operation, medications, etc) will come to between 6,000 and 7,000 dollars. If you are able to make a contribution, please do via PayPal (sidebar) or via the address below.

Dr. John in the orthopedics ward.

Dr Kapia who will do the operation this coming Tuesday has no doubt that it will be a success. He showed me numerous photos of similar interventions he had done. We will post our own photos – but only before and after photos.

If you prefer an address to PayPal (sidebar) please use the below to send a check contribution to Jeanne’s operation:

Jeff Harr
(Jeanne’s health bills – TL2)
Lukuru Foundation
P.O. Box 875
129 Pinckney Street
Circleville, Ohio 43113-0875

We hope to have Jeanne back in the forest with us in a year or less.

UPDATE: Thursday morning the 13th of February 2014

Jeanne’s operation was Tuesday. It was 4.5 hours due to the difficulty of separating the two parts of the femur that had grown together with a callous; there was a bone fragment that had separated and died; the hole it left needed to be filled with bone fragments taken from Jeanne’s knee. It was a long afternoon, not only under the knife but under other implements that might seem more for a carpenters shop than an operating room. She had blood transfusions and there was a temporary loss of blood pressure. Tuesday night Jeanne did not sleep. Wednesday she did not eat until early afternoon. Then she slept soundly.
This morning again the Doctor has consulted her and he reassures us that although it will take time for her system to recover, he is confident. And we are too.

UPDATE:  Wednesday evening the 19th of February 2014

Here is the Xray of Jeanne’s leg, now, after the operation.

I am now in Kindu again. We followed Jeanne’s ups and downs over the thuraya satellite phone from Katopa camp. She had a fever of 40° centigrade ( 104°F) . It came and went over four days. But since Sunday night she has been clearly on the mend. Tomorrow she leaves the observation hall and will be in a private room. She starts physical therapy for the use of crutches. We are thrilled.

This picture taken 2/3 of the way through her 4.5 hour operation is probably enough of a souvenir for Jeanne.

And now on February 28th, Jeanne is out again in our garden at Poids Lourds!