Medical Woes

We sent Tiny Rose to the hospital yesterday because she has started having focal seizures again. She is on medicine for the seizures but it obviously Is not working so we wanted her to see the doctor. The person who saw her (not sure if it was a doctor but know it was not her regular doctor) said that malaria can cause the seizures (which is true) so they tested her blood for malaria. The test, however, came back negative, but instead of looking for other possibilities they still gave her medicine for malaria and sent her home! This is typical of so many in the medical field here because malaria is so common that the medicine for it is sometimes seen as a cure all. We have been fortunate that most at this hospital do not make this assumption.

More Medical, More Kids

God graciously moved us through the malaria.  It lasts about 3 days.  Some days are miserable, but the Lord is our help at all times.

Now we have chicken pox going around.  There are 5 kids at the orphanage who have it and we’re trying to keep it from spreading to the other 90 kids!  We wouldn’t mind the rest of them getting it, except we are always concerned for our HIV kids.

GSF received two new babies this week.  One was only 5 days old when he arrived.  His twin brother died at two days old and his mother died the following day.  Pray for this boy’s grieving father.  GSF will care for the baby for 2-3 years.  The other boy we took this week has a teenage mom who was raped.  A teacher in the village has been caring for him for a few months – she had previously counseled the mother not to have an abortion.  This wonderful, life-saving woman simply cannot care for him now that school has begun, so she brought him to GSF.  The boy’s name, Muzarsi, means “God is gracious.”  How fitting.

Malaria

Just a quick note to ask you to pray.  Megan had malaria last weekend.  She is over it now.  Titus & I both tested positive for it last night.  We had a rough night.  Caralina tested positive for it today.  Amy isn’t feeling well, but hasn’t run a fever yet.  She is starting the treatment for malaria.  We should know by tonight if that is really what she has.

On top of that, we got a phone call at 2:30 a.m. last night.  David Malisi, our tailor, had an emergency with his son Matthew.  Matthew was having seizures that wouldn’t stop – his whole body was stiff.  The condition could possibly have been meningitis or tetanus, both of which are very dangerous.  David didn’t know that I had malaria, so we called Claudia and she and Amy went together to check on Matthew.  Amy eventually stayed at Claudia’s house with her girls while Claudia took Matthew and the mother to Buikwe Hospital.  Matthew has been admitted, but we don’t yet know his condition.

A realization

This week our family has been visited by malaria.  Megan had malaria on Saturday and really just started feeling better yesterday.  Mark and Titus both tested positive today.  Tonight we sent Caralina to get some more medicine from Bob and Carolyn.  They did not have any at their house so Carolyn drove down to the clinic with Caralina to get some more.  Unfortunately, Carolyn could not get the clinic unlocked so she and Caralina went on a search for the nurse in order to get the key for the clinic.  Caralina came home and told me about the trail they took just to be able to get the medicines for her daddy and brother.  At the end, she told me that Auntie Carolyn at one point in despair jokingly said “your brother and dad could die before we get this medicine to them.”  Caralina then looked at me with all sincerity and maturity and said, “Mom, I know she was just joking but then I thought about all the people around us who struggle to get the medicine and may die because they can’t get it.”  Wow, a aha moment for a 13 year old.