Over the Border.

 

As our visas expired this weekend, we went over the border to Rwanda. We took a matatu to Musanze- one of those 'how many can you squash into a van', type of journeys but it was fine. I met up with the next chair recipient but it will be a standing frame not a chair. A lovely Dad and such a sad story. It was not known the mother was expecting twins. While in labour the Doctor said the baby's heart beat had stopped and the baby had died. The Doctor then left the mother alone to deliver the dead baby but she didn't manage it. They eventually gave her a Caesarian at which point they discovered another baby who had by that time been damaged by lack of oxygen. So unnecessary.

On the Saturday we decided to take the bus to Kigali, the capital. We took the Virunga Express coach ....a little too express at times! Two hours journey for £1.70, not bad. We then took a taxi to the big supermarket. The whole city to explore and we choose the supermarket - how sad is that? It was great fun to go round a big shop again. We bought very little but just looking was exciting. There was also a cafe with real bread (by which I mean not sweet bread) and decaffeinated coffee and chocolate cake with butter icing- not moist enough to be perfect but still pretty good. Then we crammed into the bus again to stay the night in Musanze before heading back to the border. As we were waiting for our visas to be stamped on the Ugandan side, the power went off....welcome home!

There have been 3 new babies in the village: newborn twins Gato and Gakuru and Moses who is about 2 months but very underweight. As you can see, Gakuru got a polystyrene box and Moses netted a bath tub.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The medical centre has had a number of coming and goings. A little lad in severe heart failure, survived and has been sent on to Kampala for surgery. Two very sick newborn babies came in, both having had traumatic births: one died and the other was reunited with his mother who was still recovering in hospital. We now have the smallest premature baby since we arrived - 1.15kilos and doing ok. As we got home today, a 3 month old arrived who was in hospital with pneumonia and on antibiotics but she was not recovering fast enough so the mother took her out and went to the Healer for a local tonsillectomy! The baby got worse so she went back to hospital but was transferred to us as she is now extremely ill. It is impossible to give her enough painkillers to make breast feeding comfortable although she is trying. There is also an 8 day old baby who came in last night who is vomiting bile so likely to have an abdominal blockage. They are staying here for the night and getting the bus to Mbarara Hospital at 5am. Mike was over in the Medical Centre within 20 minutes of us arriving back. He may never be allowed away again!

 

 

The partitioning in the medical centre has been completed and Mike now has a consulting room. The examination couch doubles as the place he and any on-call nurse can try and get some sleep - not at the same time, I hasten to add.

 

 

 

This week sees the end of another month which means I have to try and get the accounts to balance again. Paying the staff is a good way for me to learn names but it is not helped by some of them being related and so looking very similar. I take comfort in the fact that the Vicar of the church we attend still can't remember who I am ..... and there are very few white people around for him to confuse me with!