Babies have dominated our week. First was Dushime. She arrived here on the 4th aged 3 weeks. As we have had a big intake of newborn babies in recent weeks, there was no room or staff for her next door so we took her in. She is gorgeous, very pretty and full of personality. She had been fed watered down cows milk and fruit juice before she arrived so her insides were not in the best state but this rectified itself. She arrived in rags soaked in urine but scrubbed up well! The first night she just wanted to be held...and who can blame her. It was lovely to see her relax as the days went by. We did struggle with the nights....3 was quite enough sleep deprivation but we carried on for 6. Jackie the Administrator offered to take her home for the weekend to give us a break and because she wanted to.
Then on Saturday night along came Claire. She was 6 days old. Her mother had been brought in from the streets, very pregnant and very psychotic. She delivered in a Health Centre but although they tried to get the mum to breast feed, it was declared she was too mentally ill to take any responsibility. They are keeping the mother in order to get her treated. This is the 7th child of this ill mother. Her own mother used to look out for her but she has died. Sadly, Claire will be a prime candidate for HIV but the tests cannot be carried out until she is 6 weeks old. So we swopped a 3 week old for a 6 day old! Who needs sleep! I do think of the many African Grandmothers who take on caring for their Grandchildren. I admire them.
Dushime has watched me do the accounts, has surveyed the goings on in the Medical Centre and spent time in the workshop. Leonard finished painting the chair for Doreen and we had Jean Paul up from Rwanda for the day on Wednesday and have cut out the standing frame for Samuel.
Leonard opted for an African look for the chair so decided to paint it in the red oxide powder that they use on their clay cooking pots. On the side is the Potters's Village pot logo.
It is the change of season here and the dry season is heralded by high winds and rain. This is the coolest we have known it. All that means is that we have occasionally had to wear a jumper.
The Medical Centre has had comings and goings. Yesterday two more children were brought in who had had the local tonsillectomy procedure. Yet another was a parent whose child had been given antibiotics but she thought they weren't working quickly enough. The twin who was born nearly 3 hours after her brother has managed 5 sucks today. It is such a relief as it was a real dilemma what to do as the mum wants to go home. To send the baby home unable to feed would mean death from starvation. To send her home with a nasogastric tube would mean an inevitable infection and subsequent death albeit a better option than the above. It is hoped the mother can see some benefit from staying a bit longer until she can manage a complete breast feed.
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