Obama Spends Time at Clinic

Hello blog followers!

Yesterday and today, we were blessed with a very special visitor - 8 month old Obama, who is the grandson of one of our volunteers! He is pictured here with Angie Oder who is ready to adopt every small child that comes through!

Today was another busy day - especially since we've added a few more stations at Clinic. Among these is color blindness and depth perception. Pictured below is Thomas Precht giving a depth perception test to one of our many patients.

Dr. Dave Oebker and Dr. John Broaddus made the day of these two women! Dr. Oebker gave his 45-year-old patient, Benedicta, (pictured from left) a beautiful pair of glasses which were a perfect fit for her -11/-9 prescription. The best part? She had never had glasses before and was overcome with gratitude that she would now be able to see her children and grandchildren. Dr. Braoddus (pictured from middle to right) was able to dispense a pair of much-needed readers to his patient who thanked him with a bear-hug!

Regina Sharp couldn't help but dance along with this very grateful woman in her 60s who was getting her very first pairs of glasses at our Clinic. After dispensing two pairs of Chabellas to her (one for reading, the other for distance) she lept out of her chair and, literally for the next 15 minutes, danced around in complete joy. She kept saying how grateful she was and how she couldn't wait to go back to school (which she was forced to quit in 6th grade) to "expand her mind."

This recipient, pictured below, came through our Clinic yesterday and received a pair of +3 readers. Today, our photographer, Mark Lyons and video crew, Kim Bothen and Jeff Miller, went out to film recipients in their villages and came across her. She was happily humming and doing laundry - so thrilled she could finally see clearly!

Dr. Oebker also helped this wonderful woman who recently lost her husband and had no means to afford a new pair of glasses which she desperately needed. After hand selecting this beautiful pair and dispensing them to his patient, she exclaimed: "I wish my husband could wake up from the grave to see how happy I am."

97 year old, Ngcobo has never had glasses. To make things worse, more than 50 years ago, had her ophthalmic lenses removed from her eyes making her virtually blind. Today, Forum was able to help this woman see clearly possibly for the first time in her life. She was given a pair of bi-focals that nearly perfectly matched her +13/+12 need. When Forum and Mike Smith placed the glasses on her face, she immediately began reading the her own prescription from the glasses package - a very small script. She is now thrilled to head home and read her bible.

Dr. Richard Hultz was thrilled to help this 40-year-old woman pictured below. She was a -9 and had broken her glasses well over a year ago. Not able to afford a new pair, she came to Clinic in hopes of being able to see again. After a complete exam, Dr. Hultz personally came to our Eyewear Inventory Management System to select the perfect pair. Once placed on her face, she showed immediate excitement with a huge smile. She is thrilled to head back to work and now do a much better job!

Dr. James Hollmann and all the doctors have seen amazing pathology this whole trip and have referred a lot of patient to the local hospital. Today was no exception. This woman had a operculated retinal hole which could lead to retinal detachment. We were able to give her a pair of temporary glasses and she, along with many others, were referred for further care.

Thanks so much to all who are following our journey and SPECIAL THANKS to all who are posting comments. We can't tell you how much it means to hear from home. We're missing you all so much!

OneSight Kokstad Clinic Team