Mike attempts to save the day for Kisoro!

 

Power cuts continue on an almost daily basis. Worse than that are the water cuts. After two days without water, Mike was not amused. He spent half of his day off going between the water and power companies. Power co. said the water co. had not paid their bill so they had cut them off. Water said they had paid it that day. Power said they wanted to see the receipt. Water said power should send someone to see it. Power said water should bring it to them. Water eventually agreed. Mike witnessed power seeing the bank receipt. Power agreed to turn the pumps back on to bring the water through. We then had a power cut for several hours but the water came back on during the night. Phew!

Staff are bedding into their new roles and mostly adapting very well. We have had one today who refused to help bring in clothes when it was thought it was going to rain - because 'it's not on my job description'. We shall obviously have to specify in writing they need to be flexible and help others when necessary!

Last night Mike was up 3 times with a 2 week old with pneumonia. Tonight we have another very sick arrival. He is 2 months old and very severely malnourished and dehydrated. It will be touch-and-go whether he survives or not. As our only driver, Mike then has to take Doreen (one of our cerebral palsy girls) to see a visiting eye specialist very early in the morning. She has a severe squint. The Surgeon is arriving this afternoon with the hopes of starting performing surgery tomorrow.....no waiting list problems here!

I had thought I was coming here to work with children not goats! I have had to read up about them because our female is not producing much milk and we need to know what to do. I now know all sorts of interesting facts.....15 pawpaw seeds in a small bottle of water is a natural deworming medicine. Don't know if it works on humans though!

I haven't had much chance of taking photos lately. Take pity on these three girls who have to hand wash all these clothes and repeat it every day. We are all agreed we need two good washing machines. We have a machine but it is very old and sounds horrendous on a spin cycle. We do one load of medical centre washing per day and one load of bibs. They used to hand wash them also - there can be at least 90 per day.

 

Although you may not need to wait to see the eye surgeon, the same cannot be said about getting money out of the ATM. The queues have been awful. Apparently the Government had not paid employees for 3 months and now can pay them. The result was that the ATM would run out of money in no time. At times we have stood in queues of 30+ in front, only to find the numbers expanding in front of us as others joined their friends. We would then leave despondently. Mike waited yesterday and got to be second in line....only to find the machine then ran out of money. Frustrating! He returned late at night and was successful.

I am writing this by candle light again. The weather is beginning to change and we should be in the wet season by next week. Once the water table in Rwanda is higher then the power should be better....or so I'm told. I hope so.

 

ToysRus!

 

Life has been a whirlwind since returning - at least for Sue. Naturally the staff wanted to know what had been agreed for their pay. Once told, they were happy with the amounts but naturally unsettled as to whether they would get a job once we had made new job descriptions. Jackie, the Administrator has been away in Kampala, but fortunately Nurse Emily offered to help and we have the job descriptions ready. It has been a mammoth task but we feel we should be able to run more efficiently and with fewer staff - a necessary thing in order to help meet staff wage costs. On Tuesday the staff will get to see them and we will proceed from there.

For Mike, work life has been slower. There are more outpatients coming which is good. Despite it being advertised as a children's medical centre he has seen a woman with infertility problems, a man with prostate problems and others for general ailments. He is happy to see them but we do not hold medicines for adults.

For the first time, Mike has succumbed to catching something from a patient. He has had a cold and very sore throat for a week now.

Little by little we have been introducing the toys to great effect. We have changed an unused room into a playroom which works extremely well. For those of you who donated toys, here are some photos so far....

 

 

Try as I might, I cannot get the pictures to go side-by-side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At first they were very frightened by the toys but quickly got the hang of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was just being greedy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Zak, baby Chad is being well loved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson's first attempt at painting. Jackson has severe cerebral palsy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doreen also has cerebral palsy.

 

 

 

 

She was fascinated to watch the colours appearing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The toddlers had great fun with the Aquamats. A clever invention of painting with water.

 

 

 

 

 

On a daily basis you never know what may happen. This afternoon we heard the tragic news that the 22 year old son of a Laundry worker of ours, had been killed in a motorcycle accident on the bendy roads to Kabale. It is the cultural expectation that people go to the house to mourn with the family. Mike and I went to visit. There were a lot of visitors and many of them, including our staff, will stay each night outside her house until the funeral has taken place.

On a happier note, I will show you one last picture. Mike called me over to the Medical Centre to photograph these twins in an incubator together.

 

We have had a lot of problems with power and Internet. We have several power cuts a day/night. However we have kept water, which is a real blessing.

 

Time for home already!

 

With just a week to go before we return to the UK we went full circle this week and took Ivan back into our care. We first had him just after we arrived here. He has gone from underweight.....to too plump.....back to losing a lot of weight in a short space of time. It transpires that they have been forcing him to eat with the result that he now reacts by vomiting. At least we think that is the problem. He certainly has lost his appetite but is it psychological? By slow and careful feeding we have got him to the stage of not vomiting but he is not taking in enough nutrition. We tried him on goat's milk to see if he had got beyond his intolerance. I then had to endure a day of a very grizzly Ivan so I guess that's a clear 'no'. I reinstated feeding from a bottle which suits him no end. They admit he can't take from a cup properly and to be honest, I'm not much good at cup feeding little ones so the bottle was for mutual benefit. The Carers will have the problem of getting him back to cup feeding....Oh dear!

 

 

At last Doreen has her chair.

 

Not to be outdone, the Carers wanted their photos taken too. So poor Doreen is in the background whilst they take centre stage.

 

I am delighted to say I can name all the Carers in the picture....I can't name all the children however. With their haircuts they look very different. It can be hard to know if you are looking at a boy or a girl.

 

 

 

 

Emily returned this week and Ruth, PV Fundraiser came too. We had a meal together on Friday and made the mistake of being lazy and not washing up afterwards. Saturday was Charlotte's birthday cum DVD night so yet more cooking and food preparation.....but with no water or electricity. The only water was from the storage tanks on site and it was green with wiggly things. I momentarily considered if you could boil potatoes with Dettol in the water! I have never been more grateful for running water from a tap, that although still needs boiling, looks ok.

Mike is currently in bed in the middle of the day, having been up with one of the prem babies during the night. We have 2 prems that were doing ok but developed problems to the extent that he baptised them, not expecting them to survive. Two days on and they are still with us. Our latest two had very sad stories. One was born at 7 months on the road. The mum was trying to walk to the Hospital. She had lost 2 previous babies at this stage and it is thought she may have an incompetent cervix. Anyway the baby arrived very cold and covered in gravel. From the gravel pattern it is thought he may have dropped out and landed on the ground on his head. Despite being a better weight than our other inmates, he died. The next was a failed abortion at 6 months. Failed in that the baby was born live. The membranes were ruptured but it was several days before she gave birth. Apparently the stress the baby was under can mature the lungs so that has been an advantage to him. The baby has pulled back from his blip but is still very vulnerable. The mother seems to be ok about his survival but time will tell as it was a mutual decision by the parents to attempt the abortion.

At some stage we will start organising ourselves for our month's return to the UK. We leave here on June 4th and expect to be back in Kisoro around July 8th. Still, we don't need to bring much back just some clothes that would benefit from a good wash in the washing machine.

 

..........is there any room in the Inn?

 

 

 

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.

 

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!

 

One way or another, we're all stimulated.

 

Due to problems with Blogsy and being busy, I apologise for no news.

 

We have had a team of 6 from England for 11 days. It is encouraging and inspiring to have visitors and we will miss their company. They were also incredibly useful. Carol devised a spreadsheet to help me with my newly acquired role to do the monthly accounts returns for the UK. Carol & Janet sewed dust covers for equipment in the baby unit, Alison brought out a reading scheme for Jo and took his after school sessions, Alison & Gill painted some wonderful murals in the children's rooms and made toys.

John fixed many things, gave useful and practical advice and almost made a prototype for a wonderful push along toy made from a baby formula tin and plumbers piping. He tried several methods but couldn't find a way of suitably fixing the piping into the joints in a stable and permanent way which was a shame. I will collar the plumber when he is next here and get his advice. It is going to be an amazing toy and I am very excited by the thought of continuing his work. Sian shamed us all by her determination to learn some Rufumbira and got to know many of the staff. She would happily talk to anyone and was very popular. Finally rattles were strung and teddies hung, it all looks bright and cheery.

There is only one inpatient at the moment, Kerisa is 2 weeks old and arrived in the village care as his mother died after the birth. He has a loving father living just over the Congo border but with many other children to look after, the family cannot cope with the needs of a newborn. Kerisa is worryingly placid and unresponsive and it has been difficult to get him to feed. He has been topped up with nasogastric feeds but the last two days has managed with 3 hourly bottle feeds. At 2.4 kilos he is a real dot.

Moses, the occupational therapist from the Hospital came to visit the workshop. He has 60 disabled children on his books....yikes! We discussed how best to prioritise the need for aids. It's a problem as many families would just not look after them and leave the chairs in the rain or allow siblings to play with and destroy them. We decided he would find one family who would perhaps be involved in making the chair for their child and see if they take greater responsibility for it as a result. He also wants to help in the workshop and we discussed the possibility that in time he could bring disabled adults down to help with paper sticking - help and therapy in one! There is such potential but a nightmare finding the correct way to develop the work.

With regards to developing the medical centre, Mike and Dr Michael, the Director of the Hospital, have decided the future here should be to cater for the critically ill child that gets lost in the wards and corridors of the Hospital. That decision allows Mike to start thinking what equipment they would need to fulfil that aim.

Things change so quickly. Since starting this today there has been an intake into the medical centre. A 2 yr old boy in a deep coma. His pupils are fixed and dilated but he can still move. His symptoms are odd and tests that can be done show nothing to explain it. However, everything that can be done, is being done.

Yesterday was our canoeing trip. The 5 of us walked to the tour place and discovered our guide had been arrested! Nobody else knew of our arrangements but once explained we set off with Richard as our guide. We had been told we could ...and wanted....to canoe ourselves but this was not an option. We spent a pleasant 3 hours being canoed around the islands, ate our packed lunches then walked back to Kisoro which took us 2 hours. It was steep in places but well worth the effort. Mike is taking hill walking well in his stride and has his sights on climbing the third tallest volcano some day!

 

I hope that this time the photos and text come out the way they are supposed to. I don't know what to do if they don't.

 

We've had a bath!

 

This has been Mike's first weekend off since arriving so we decided to go to Kabale for a break. Kabale is the nearest town and is a one and three quarter hour drive through the mountains. The views are amazing but the densely folded ridges are a stark reminder that we are on the border of two tectonic plates. The succession of winding up and down and along is not Sue's favourite form of journey but with spells of eyes shut and concentration on other things, she arrived fairly intact.

 

 

 

Looking down on Kabale town centre.

 

 

 

 

 

We are staying in a nice hotel and it was a great treat to find a bath in the bathroom. There was no water until late evening but we made the most of it then. We spent the afternoon looking around Kabale which is bigger than Kisoro but the shops contain much the same things. To be honest we both felt we preferred Kisoro - just as well! We spent the evening with Janet who we had met on a training course last summer. It was good to catch up with her. Although it was lovely not to be disturbed in the night by crying babies and chattering Carers, there was the familiar tap tapping on the tin roof by the rain and the piercing noises of the crows. Today we have thoroughly enjoyed staying in our room out of the rain and reading.

 

 

 

 

Late afternoon the rain cleared and we emerged for a drink and to read outside in the grounds.

 

 

 

 

 

This week in Potters Village has been an ordinary one. In the last couple of weeks 3 children have moved on to new homes and 3 have arrived. One newborn whose mum died in childbirth, one whose mum died a couple of weeks after the birth and during an operation. The father did not know what the operation was for and strangely did not seem concerned. The third child is 8 months old and was brought by the father saying the mother was mentally ill. It transpires he has left the mother and moved in with another woman. It was felt safest to take the child in for now or he would have been abandoned elsewhere.

The medical centre is down to one inpatient, a prem baby still on oxygen. There has been another small boy who underwent the local tonsillectomy procedure with resulting infection but fortunately he was brought straight away and was able to go home after a couple of days having responded well to antibiotics. Interestingly the mum of the previous tonsil victim recommended another mother to bring her child to the village - success! Apart from that there has been a trickle of outpatients and the usual coughs, wheezes, vomiting and diarrhoea outbreaks amongst the village children.....oh, and 2 cases of hookworm discovered by the microscope!

Sue and Leonard have cut out Doreen's chair. Sue went to the market to buy a pan for the charcoal stove built by Leonard, that they will use to boil water for the paste. Three ladies sitting in the market were clearly talking about the colour of her skin and the fact her arms are browner than her feet. Suddenly one leaned forward and yanked up her skirt for them to look at the colour of her legs!! A bit of a shock but all good natured.

Next weekend we hope to hold a pre- dvd night BBQ using Leonard's charcoal stove - we could start a new trend in Uganda cuisine!