Saturday April 25 - Kampala Again

I't Sat. afternoon and I'm in Kampala again after swearing that I was not coming again this week ...but I'll get to that later. You might want a cup of tea before you get going on this one.....I cannot believe I still get so excited about what happens! Finished a book "St. Francis of Assisi" by G.K. Chesterton - actually good. Now starting one about Joseph Kony (the man who caused the problems in No. Uganda for 20 years and is still loose in the Congo). It was sent to me by one of the UK visitors! Two very different people tho' many think each was crazy!

On Monday last week we went to Kampala (CoRSU hospital) with the boy (Benicto) who'd had his leg amputated at Nkokonjeru after being badly burned and becoming toxic. Dr. Antonio wanted to reduce the stumpso he can get a prosthesis. No power in Nkoko so we had to stop at the Mukono hospital for an X-ray and then we stopped at a BIG place to get a TON of wheat bran to have for the soon to be gotten pigs (loaded it all in the pickup)....Fred went along to supervise that part of the journey. Long stops and got back late.

We had a busy CBR day on Tuesday - lots of clients - I'm not sure why so many, but it was interesting. One lady came w. a 10 year old who had terribly clubbed feet and never treated or been to school. The lady is a community volunteer and takes in abandoned children (she's brought others)....she comes from a village about 6 miles away and carried the girl on her back to Nkokonjeru (I gave her boda money to get back) We'll try to get the girl to see Dr. Antonio when we take a group for clinic day but it will be LOTS of surgeries and rehab time in the hospital....if done when they are little it's much simplier.

Wednesday was one of those days when everything worked!!! I went to Kampala early w. Sula because the truck was going in for service We left at 6 a.m. ( Sr. J didn't go - she was sick). I got off at Garden City and walked up to Mulago Hospital (25 min) and dropped off the pictures and information for the Doctor about the little girls (Barbara and Kizza)...stopped to see them and mom. They all look so good but think the mom wants to go home - she misses the other kids and it's hard staying in the hospital. Walked back to GC mall and got a matatu to the old taxi park so I could go to Kiempe Lane (the alley w. all the fabric shops) and got some scissors as gifts for the kids finishing 2nd year sewing...I was pretty proud that I shopped in Kampala w/o help and got the taxi for Nkokonjeru at the taxi park!!! On the way back I got a call that Stella Maris had the money for the shoes they ordered so when I got back I walked up there and got it and got it to Didas so he can go shopping! They are getting 38 pairs of shoes - it's for their students who are sponsored by an organization in the U.S., Caritas....nice cooperation of agencies!! I'll be sure to take some publicity photos.

On the way up to Stella Maris I got a call from the nurse who comes from the Epilepsy Clinic and Butabika Hopsital has some piglets to give to "peasants" with epilepsy and were were interested in being a distribution point? - SURE! Not sure how many or when but hope it works.

Pig and cow purchases are on their way. Fred and Vincent (the animal caretaker) are going to the "pig class" at the nearby commerical farm this week, and after training next week we'll all go to look at some cows that are possibilities. Still some planning to do, but it's on the way (YEA). Ended Wednesday w. a nice conversation w. Holly - they had a great time at Queen Elizabeth Park - saw the tree climbing lions and zebras (but no giraffe there). They slept in tents in the bush an heard lots of night sounds!!! Great Day!!

Thursday started out fine - Holly and I finished some more planting - the first group is up and looks good. Then did laundry and went down to PH to help Sr. J w. a computer project, but she was busy, then I went to copy reports and was gone - then she was busy again.... Then, she told me that one of the 2nd year sewing girls' (Medina) father died the night before - bummer. He apparently was in an accident (worked in Kampala and she stayed w. an aunt when not in PH - mom is dead), and sustained a bad head injury. Sr. Goretti and Sara and a bunch of kids were going to the funeral and I went along at the last minute - and was very glad I did. He was Muslim and it was at a large clan burial area really in the bush. Got to thinking as we waited, about all the losses these kids have - family members, health, mobility - but they are so resilient. They almost never quit, but I think it takes a toll on their willingness to take risks or to dream beyond the immediate and familiar! (or maybe that's poverty). Medina had an epileptic seizure two years ago and fell into a fire and was badly burned on the right side (face to hand)...but she's a good student and a great girl!

The days keep getting busier and stranger - I could never make this up!! Sister got me to go to Kampala AGAIN on Friday because she wanted to stop mid-journey and we had clients to pick up. We started out about 9:30 - had lots of stops - and some LONG ones including Sister waiting an hour in a bank line while we all waited in the truck in downtown. There were a couple of boys in the back we were taking to the taxi park so they could go home and they were HOT and HUNGRY. I bought some bananas from a street vendor to hold them. Finally, we got going, dropped the riders off at their various stops and proceeded to CoRSU. (There are always extra people along - when you go anywhere in Africa w. a vehicle it's an invitation for anyone and everyone to catch a ride).

We picked up Benicto and his father at the hospital - he was so cheerful after surgery! We got stuck in Friday afternoon traffic, but made it to Mukono about 6:00 to pick up 3 deaf students who come back to Nkokonjeru for Holiday (one lives at PH). I was worried about how to take them home since they don't talk (do have lively conversations w. each other in sign language tho')....but found out they stay in PH till their parents come to get them. Dropped Benicto and his father off w. the Italian nuns in Kisoga (two sisters about my age who run a clinic there).....they will keep his dressing changed and watch him till he goes back in a month - just adorable ladies!!! We stopped by his home, too - very decrepit structure, but the Sisters have built him a little 2 room house of his own - actually, they and the PCV who was there (left in March) build 67 homes like that w. donations from the U.S. (about $150/house)...nice cement floor, brick and tin roofs!!! Habitat got them started thinking about it but then dropped out because of problems w. the Government so they raised the money on their own (the PCV and the two Italian nuns - that's so neat!!).

I was asking Sula (the driver) about Muslim burials (since he's Muslim and drove us to the burial) and he said that the prayers were short (20 min) because the man was not an observant Muslim and drank alcohol - if he had been observant the prayers would have been 2 hours!!! (can I be glad he drank?).

Reading "The Camel Bookmobile" (not sure who sent it any more but thanks). At first the author annoyed me because she was writing about a village in Kenya w/o ever being in Africa then I wondered if the story bothered me because the "heroine" was an American lady who comes to Africa to find herself/do good and thinks that people should think like her! May be too close to home!

The Holland girls have donated money to put paving bricks on the entry to PH - great project. It was all washed and rutted and really hard to push wheelchairs up to the sidewalk. A not so funny aside I learned about when Sister was looking at paving stones yesterday. I saw the bid and the guy who's doing it built the boys' dorm in 2007 and looks competent - even did the extimate on a form w. letterhead! (I'm easily impressed). However, he quoted the bricks at 600 sh. each and then when he went to get them they were 800sh.....a 600,000 sh. difference!! And it's just too bad for the buyer!!! AMAZING! Sister is going to cover the difference since she's embarrassed to tell the girls.

Swore I was going to sit in my apt. all day on Saturday - then at 9 p.m. Firday nite I got a call from the Dr. at Mulago who's working on the case study and he wanted us in Sat. a.m. at 9 for a planning session...I was not happy, but here I am. I asked Nelson (OT) to come too and I'm glad he did! We met w. the Head of the Family Medicine Program at the Medical School - she's impressive!!! This will be Family Medicine's first time to present a case at Ground Rounds (ever) and she wants it to reflect the uniqueness of Family Medicine and to emphasize that Malnutrition is a symptom of a larger dysfunctional system....and she wants Nelson and I to present part - the background! (to medical students and staff). Some of the other doctors were a bit put out - it's not "how it's done", but she insisted on doing something different because family medicine should be holistic....I'm nervous but my part is really small! We have to meet Monday to rehearse and then present on Tuesday afternoon (I got permission to miss some of Mid Service for the presentation). Shoudl be very interesting - even having a Doctor talk about the molecular changes to the brain and body when a baby is malnourished - not just a recitation of clinical facts!!! Discussion to follow on "what to do?". It's SO important, because they can fatten the babies up but if they send them home to the same environment in 3 mos. they would be back where they started.

So, is your tea gone? Sorry I'm so long - tomorrow I plan to wash/clean/go over paperwork I've neglected - maybe even look at my grant application (finally - next review is May 14). It's been a busy, but productive week. I hear Spring has hit the midwest - baseball has started - I miss that, too! Could someone send Marigold seeds? - was just reading in the Kampala paper that if planted in the garden they repel bugs??

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers!