I am going to ask to be put onto Anaesthetics as I'm not finding Paeds enjoyable. I don't know why I want to change but its just not really my thing! The Ugandan people are anticipating the rainy season soon and we got a small taste of it with a spectacular storm.
The new chicken hut has been built and we are going to buy the chickens tomorrow. I feel a bit homesick at the moment but its probably just because I haven't ever been away for so long. Today I went though the list of patients with TB and HIV at the local health office to identify potential recruits for the Aspergillus study. Hopefully we will be able to progress to finding these patients by visiting the local districts - Something I am really excited about, given that I can travel to some of the most rural parts of Africa.
Some new lady doctors have arrived today in our accommodation and will be working at Gulu hospital too. It will be nice to have some more company. I hope everyone enjoys easter this weekend at home. I shall be having a long weekend off ;)
Bye for now x
I'm not a doctor, but I reckon once you're fully over your D&V, you'll feel a lot happier to be there and the homesickness will pass (as quickly as anything inside you is doing right now!!!). I do hope so, I don't like to think of you feeling even a little bit sad or lonely.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the new arrivals will help lift your spirits and if they are new to Uganda, and not just the hospital, you can time just how long it takes until they, too, fall prey to the dreaded D&V!
It's horribly cold here now. Peaking at 4C and as low as -2C at night. Snow on the Pennines and a north easterly, very brisk at times, wind. I haven't noticed Fury McG today, so reckon she's being smart and stayed indoors. Your storm sounds great, I can imagine the heat and the electricity building in the atmosphere and would happily swap.
I do hope you are pleased with your chickens when you get them and that they remind you of home in a good way and make you feel cheerful. I imagine your ladies on the allotment are snuggled up in their coop right now, the bees must be really confused after last week's lovely weather. I know I am and as for the tortoises....
Hey! I've just had an idea. I could post Arnold Tortoise out to you, to keep you company if you like? He was a complete pain this morning and has been testing our patience of late. What do you reckon?
Really do hope you're already starting to feel better and a move to Anaesthetics happens soon.
Hi andrew - I hope you are feeling a bit more cheerful, and that you are managing to find work to interest you. I hope that seeing the girls the other night cheered you up a bit - I am off to buy easter eggs tomorrow. Not sure that C really gets it, but I can tell you a good story. Karen came home from creche and explained how Jesus was asleep on the cross, but that when he woke up he would give everyone some chocolate! C and I are going swimming tomorrow and I am hoping to get some lessons set up for her after Easter - the council does lessons for ¢40 for 10 x 45 which seems very good. Take care and talk soon (hope you got the photos too)
ReplyDeleteDebs - I feel much better now thanks, both of your comments are very nice and encouraging, I'm just moaning as per usual! We have a tortoise here which I want to name, there is also a lady but she has a broken leg somehow, what do I need to do to help her?...she's limping around all day! :( Chickens have arrived and are very tame but many weeks off producing any eggs.
ReplyDeleteDanielle - I was laughing at Karen's story a lot with my friends. What an interesting imagination she has! them lessons are very very cheap. None of the adults or children here can actually swim...they go in the pool but can never manage a length without trying to drown. Hope C enjoys her lessons! I'm coming back for 8th May so will try and organise some dates to come over when I'm back (if thats ok?) what dates would be best for you all?
What a differnce a weekend makes, and getting over the squits, and some good company. I'm so happy to read how many things you are finding to enjoy and marvel at, and continue to be slightly sick with envy. A small niggle regarding your comment: "Africa is such a beautiful and flat country". Africa is a continent (as you well know!) and it's very far from flat in places, a couple of hundred miles away, as the chicken flies, you have the Rift Valley and there's also things like the real Mt. Kilimajaro, with snow on top! I am prepared to compromise: an awful lot of Africa is flat because there's an awful lot of Africa.
DeleteIt's so much easier to write to you when you're cheerful. Don't stop expressing your sadness when the mood takes you, however, I think it's hard for all of us to read it, and then try find the right words in response.
Ah! The tortoise. It's an interesting one, which I need to research. The photograph looks a bit like a Geochelone Sulcata (or African spur thighed) a sub Saharan tortoise found from Senegal across to the Sudan, but I would have expected a Leopard tortoise in that area, albeit bit far north, although my research is suggesting that it might be a tortoise related to the giant Aldabran tortoises of the Seychelles. I've just asked for Paul's help and he says it's a Marginated. Now we all know that's silly because they live in south east Europe! I'll work on it. It looks like a young adult that still has a lot of growing to do.
I would like the tortoise to be called Enfundu which (may be Bantu for tortoise and) sounds pretty good to me. There are tales of a talking Ugandan tortoise in 1978, but I'll save that story for your return.
You say you have a lady with a broken leg. I assume you mean a tortoise lady, not human, as you certainly wouldn't need to ask me about that! I'd say that if she's managing to get about, and eat and drink, then she's fine as she is. There are a lot of tortoises who survive with maimed or amputated limbs, some have veterinary intervention and end up rolling around on Lego wheels! As long as she's not in pain (she'd be racing/pacing around like a mad thing) I would leave her be.
Cracker, our tortoise with the smashed up shell, probably suffered a similar fate, because one of his back legs is deformed, but he manages very well and is probabaly the fastest of all our tortoises on the flat. They can injure themselves falling down cliffs, off rocks or being attacked by other creatures or dropped by birds of prey from a great height. Another story about Aeschylus I can save for your return. All these interesting tortoise stories, you won't want to come back, will you? ;-)
Glad to hear you have your chickens in place and you have your place in Anaesthetics and are having some adventures. Love the photos, especially of the tortoise, Enfundu, perhaps they could have their own blog?
Just want to add that Fury McG, Mr Fish and the house are all fine and I will do my best to make sure they stay that way for as long as needed. debs x
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