I started writing this awhile ago, but never finished....so now there is even more to tell! Brace yourself! This will not be short!
Good news! I am FINALLY starting to get better! My symptoms are not nearly as life altering as Don's hearing problems. But, last week I started coughing up stuff that only another nurse would want to hear about! Let me just say that it prompted Don and me to try and think of the words to that childhood song: "Great green globs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey's meat, little toasted birdies feet.....????....and me without my spoon!" Anyone remember the missing lyrics?
So, I am not WELL cuz I still cough, especially at night, but I am well enough to start cooking and hostessing. I think my job description here should be Hostess Queen!
One evening we had John and Cindy Benson (visiting from Moorhead, MN) to dinner along with EBN. His parents were missionaries here with Don's parents in the 40's and 50's. It was a treat to connect with them as I have heard about the Benson's for years. Nashesha came early and we tried making samosas for appetizers. We used filo dough which was not the best. They tasted OK, but I doubt I will try that again soon! They are too much work! I had the oil way too hot and created a dense fog in the house!
There are four medical students here from New Zealand. We have had them over for dinner or snacks each week. They are delightful! One evening we included a few more and had a movie night. Don set up our projector and we showed Queen of Katwe on the wall. If you have not seen that movie yet, we highly recommend it. It is a true story filmed in Uganda, but it accurately depicts life here. One of the students saw the movie on the plane ride to TZ. She found it pretty shocking and she admitted saying to herself, "Oh dear God, please tell me it will be nothing like this where I am going!" After being here awhile and seeing the movie for a second time, she said, "Now that I've been here, things in the film don't look half bad!" Living in the third world definitely changes your perspective!
Now I will describe Don's clinic visit in Moshi. It must be cultural that Tanzanians do not line up and wait their turn! I told the clinic story to Canadians who said standing in line is so accepted in Canada that if they perceive a line, they automatically go to the end and they can find themselves in a line to nowhere! Too funny!
So we got to the clinic and most of the details are so laborious that you would fall asleep trying to follow! Highlights: first table (after being shuffled hither and yon) was to create a file. Don stood aside cuz he cannot hear. The registrar wanted three names for Don. I wrote down "Donald Louis Rowberg." He did not want that... he wanted to know his father's first name so I wrote "Raymond." His medical record name became Donald Rowberg Raymond. I watched as he transcribed so much information by hand three times to create a file.
I took my little piece of cardboard with all that information to the next table.
Before I say more, let me describe the waiting room. Packed! So packed, you could not move about! When I was at the first table getting registered, people were pushing me from behind. My pelvis was up against the desk and my upper body was forced over the desk. The smell was...well...noticeable! Most people do not bathe often. I understand! Most have to carry water long distances. And the color! Wow! Just a sea of bright colors! African fabric is definitely colorful!
When I needed to go to the next table to pay our bill, I was stuck! The man taking our info actually stood up and said something to the crowd so I could get through. I paid our bill which was $115...by US Credit card!....very expensive by TZ standards! I found out the reason our bill was so high (compared to Herison's eye visit a year ago) was that we were receiving VIP treatment! So YAY!
We waited quite awhile and it was HOT (body heat) in there with very few chairs. I tried to stay outside and come in often to check. Finally they called, "Mr. Raymond?" Good thing I was there as Don totally missed that they were calling him!
Fast forward: toooo much to tell! Don's ears needed suctioning. The doctor let me look and even an old incompetent nurse like me could tell it was bad! Yuck! Again, only a nurse would want to hear details.
I have no idea what constituted VIP treatment because we were in the clinic four hours. Another doctor told us later that the fact that they called us by name instead of number meant we did indeed receive preferential treatment. The ENT specialist, who seemed competent and kind, prescribed two new medications...and chewing gum. I found gum a few days later and Don tried chewing it ... he chewed so hard that his jaws hurt! He has another appointment on July 15. He is gradually getting better, but he still misses a lot of the conversation. At least I am no longer yelling! Such a bug! We have been fighting this for six weeks!
Next topic: Really good news! Don got tired of packing extra food next door to Linda's spare refrigerator. I have been borrowing it since they are gone, but it is behind two locked doors and even though we have a key to the storeroom and the workers promise to leave the porch open, we recently found it locked and were unable to retrieve our food. Since I am often cooking for groups, it has been quite a challenge to operate out of our small refrigerator. So last week we went to a store "just to look", and we ended up buying a REALLY NICE refrigerator/freezer!!! I was so happy when I could open a jar of pickles and not worry how I would keep it cold! Now I have room to store beverages and extra things in the small frig which is a big help for parties. I am really surprised what a very big difference this has made! I had two parties to celebrate! Wema's family came over right after the refrigerator was delivered. I served them cake with raspberry topping (they had never seen raspberries before). EBN came the next day for a special Moroccan dinner. What a relief! I am so glad I got the model I really wanted instead of a smaller one. I feel quite spoiled...especially when most people have NO refrigerator!
Lastly....July 7 is a holiday in Tanzania...called Saba Saba (7/7), so we have another three day weekend. I checked resorts nearby for a two night get-away. I actually meant to book at a different place, but my internet search landed me at Meru View Lodge and they had an opening. Oops! After I made a reservation at the wrong place, we looked at the resort and amenities and decided not to cancel. The best thing is it is only an hour from home and a 5 minute walk to the entrance to Arusha National Park.
While we were packing to leave, I got an excited phone call from Orjantan. He said "Come now! The cow is having her baby! Don't wait! Come immediately!" I jumped in the car and arrived just in time to see the birth! If I would have been 30 seconds later, I would have missed it! The calf came out all slimy and STEAMING! Within 15 minutes it was nursing and it was standing in less than an hour! Such a wonderful event! I assured the family this was an even bigger miracle than a new refrigerator! I am so relieved the mother and baby are healthy because the mother's milk had been reduced recently which led to concerns about her health in addition to the lost income.
So we arrived at this resort a little later than expected and enjoyed a picnic I packed. This place is amazing! We have our own little cabin with a covered porch and comfortable furniture. There is a swimming pool in the middle of the grounds with a covered cabana and cushy furniture where they serve us tea at 4:30! The grounds are very manicured and covered with flowers that remind us of Hawaii! The setting is so beautiful and comfortable and there are so many flowers and birds that we decided not to go to the park. We are staying put and reading and playing cribbage and EATING! The food is mostly grown here and delicious! We are so happy to know about this place because it is just over $100/day for food and lodging and the road to get here was really reasonable....I definitely want to come again! Tanzania is a wonderful place to be on vacation!
Life is definitely better when you feel better! Soon I hope to say WE ARE WELL! In the meantime, I am finding more things to love about being here! I must be adjusting!
❤️Debi
PS: My sister told me the missing line to that childhood song is, "luke warm vomit, running down the avenue"......fortunately, we have had none of that! 😜
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| Whatever this is has huge blossoms. |
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