Day 244 – Tuesday 28th September 2010

Some might call this a bit of a medical day!

Amy headed off to see the regional hospital this morning and had her eyes truly opened. The most horrific story was that of a doctor’s ward round, which he conducted through a window as he didn’t want to be too close to the ‘infected’ patients.

Armorel was busy at the clinic with a large influx of patients to the ward, and a number of ECG’s to take. The nurses need training on the new machine and the doctors are so excited that many are being ordered.

Ally was surrounded by anti-virus software today which was his attempt at being medical.

I taught for the morning and headed over to the clinic for what I thought would be some admin fun. However, I was soon tasked with removing a boy’s cast, with a blunt pair of scissors. Luckily I found some old garden shears and so Armorel and I managed to cut, twist, pull and tear the cast off.

Then it got very interesting.

A patient on the ward suddenly went downhill, and signs and symptoms looked like meningitis. A lumbar puncture was needed (government requirement for all suspected cases), and I soon found myself assisting with the procedure.

It was very similar to the ones I have seen on ER, but not something I was expecting to be involved in.

It has been a long day. We have had a fun evening playing bird scrabble, and other silly games and are now heading to bed.

It is a village clinic day tomorrow!

The builders working hard!

Day 243 – Monday 27th September 2010

Amazingly it was a little chilly this morning, and I even contemplated a light jumper.

I was busy teaching this morning and had all the students take on different characters for some dramatic reading. They struggled to get into it but we are making some slow progress.

I then headed over to the clinic just before lunch. The girls were very busy and had a really sick girl on the ward. Her prognosis is not very good.

The clinic is not as calm and relaxed as it has been. We hope it starts to settle soon. It needs to.

I headed for a short walk around the farm to assess the building work. All is going well out there, and the foundations will be set by the end of the week.

It is bedtime again and with the inside temp at 27, we are bracing ourselves for another sticky night.

Day 242 – Sunday 26th September 2010

The new experiences continue with a visit to church this morning.

Nothing too unusual happened though we did learn a new song, ‘Touch me Lord’, which is surprisingly catchy.

After a quick cup of coffee we headed over to Ruth’s for some lunch and ate far too much, especially with the weather. It is so hot!

It was 37 degrees at 5pm.

And so the rest of the day we did very little, but some sleeping, reading and some more sleeping.

With the mercury still reading 28 at 8pm we were in for a hot sticky night.

Day 241 – Saturday 25th September 2010

No alarms!

We decided we would have a leisurely morning with only football at 11am as a definite must do.

It was hot!

We did manage a good game, though player numbers dropped rapidly in the heat. Rumour has it that it finished 6-6 but I think that is generous to my team. I played particularly badly.

Following a quick shower we headed off for a tour of the market and some shopping for some new outfits for Ally and Amy. I am sure they will be revealed soon!

Ally and I then headed off for some lunch with the football on in the background, while the girls chatted, read and sunbathed. Everyone else then had an afternoon nap, while I read the paper and did the crossword. I am such an old man.

An evening trip to the Orion has been had and provided Ally and Amy with great entertainment and laughs. It is now time for bed!

Day 240 – Friday 24th September 2010

It was a restless uncomfortable night, though the neck pain is less than last night. I could at least brush my teeth in comfort.

We headed into work ready for whatever fun and games came our way.

The first task was the induction and unveiling of the clinics ECG machine, amazingly donated by one of our supporters. Thank you so much!

God is so good!

Armorel teaching the nurses about the new ECG.

We spent pretty much the rest of the day in the office doing filing, sorting, computer maintenance and destruction and listening in to a very long meeting. With Armorel still in this meeting and the clock ticking on, the rest of us left and she joined us later at home.

Tonight we had Salome and her two children over for dinner. They are our good friends from church, but sadly they are moving, so this was our goodbye meal. We had great fun, even though we lost power as they arrived and had to finish the meal off on the kerosene stove. A particular highlight was introducing the kids to Chinese whispers. 

Day 239 – Thursday 23rd September 2010

Thursday is always a long day.

I started the day creating my new reading ladder for school and levelling all of my reading books. Ally came to help me but spent most of the day fixing my laptop which was playing silly games.

We headed over the clinic to find Amy and Armorel busy sterilising hundreds of things, and I am sure they were seeing some patients too.

It was then time for netball and football in the dust and afternoon sun. It was hot hard work, and so I let Ally’s team win so he didn’t feel too lost on the strange pitch.

We arrived home via an unsuccessful trip to town. We have been trying to fill up our soda crate for two weeks now and no luck whatsoever. They are always sold out or closed.

This evening we had a nice relaxed dinner though I have tweaked my neck and am struggling to move. They are all finding it very funny!

Day 238 – Wednesday 22nd September 2010

It is going to be another hot day and it is the return of Dr Ruth and Dr Jim.

The clinic is getting prepared, and it is far to say stress levels are increasing.

Ally and Amy were spending the day at HAPO, which is the children’s centre who I play football with. They seemed to have a good day and enjoyed reading with the kids and generally playing around. Though some kids did run off from Ally when he went to join them in a game of football!

Armorel spent the morning tying up loose ends and doing a spot of cleaning, and I was thrown in with the broom when I arrived after a quiet morning at school.

The convoy then headed off to the airport.

The welcome didn’t end there, as we returned to the clinic for a sing song and a soda.

This evening we had dinner with Ruth to welcome her back and are now heading to bed. That is if we can drag Armorel and Amy away from their nursing chatter!

Day 237 – Tuesday 21st September 2010

I braved school with Ally today. I had earmarked him for some extra reading with the pupils. He managed to take a small group and helped them read and understand a wonderful tale about lions and hares. All seemed to go well.

We then headed over to the clinic to see what was going on.

Armorel and Amy were busy with cardiac clinic patients and other bits of pieces, so Ally and I headed into town to buy some cement.

We were buying 10 bags for the houses at the farm. Funnily they would not let the white people carry or even touch the bags. It even got to the stage of the shop owner standing in my way to stop me from helping.

“You can get diseases from cement!” he told us.

Us white men must be very weak.

It was a very hot day, so we arrived home exhausted and collapsed. A very lazy evening was had by all.

The building work is getting close to completion. This will be the new TB lab.

Day 236 – Monday 20th September 2010

On our drive to work this morning we had a guessing game of how many students will turn up, and what other calamities we will have at school.

46 students and 1 teacher start us off.

The teachers slowly dripped in, but no sign of the head. Apparently he is having his breakfast first!

The calamities didn’t end there, but currently they are driving me so mad I can’t face writing about them.

So to escape the madness I disappeared to the clinic and Ally and I ended up hanging about 8 sets of curtains. Meanwhile the girls were busy trying to sterilise gauze and other medical bits and pieces.

On the way home from work we visited the farm to check on the foundations. We need to buy some cement tomorrow.

This evening we have pretty much talked, drunk tea and coffee, and talked some more, with a 24 episode thrown in for good measure.

Tomorrow, we will try and cope with some time at school.

Day 235 – Sunday 19th September 2010

We wake early and head off to church with Armorel’s folks. They don’t need to be at the airport until 12pm, so we can treat them to the joys of our church.

We had a lovely service. Nothing too exciting happened, apart from the excitement of having guests and the desire for long debriefs about their stay.

Sadly the clock ticked on and it was soon time to say goodbye as they went through security ready for their onward flight.

It is a real mix of emotions. We are sad to say goodbye, but happy that Ally and Amy arrive on the same plane as they are leaving on.

A quick rush between waving hello and waving goodbye and then it was home for a catch up tea with our new guests.

A Sunday afternoon drink with some football in the background and a lazy evening followed.

School starts again tomorrow!

Day 234 – Saturday 18th September 2010

A day off and a lie in!

No wait!

Someone needs to drop a key off at the clinic for 8am. Looks like that’s me then!

After a lazy morning, and an enjoyable read of the paper, Armorel and the family head to the market, whilst I am off for football. Friday football is no more and they have moved it to Saturday morning. Not ideal at all, but luckily I could make this one.

It is hot at midday!

My team was quickly 3-0 down but an inspired 80 yard run, by me of course, set up a remarkable recovery to go 5-3 ahead. We were soon pegged back, but another lung busting run and this time cool finish saw us take the lead again. Immediately disaster struck as a fluke cross flew over our keeper, 6-6. The heat was taking its toll and players were fading and falling fast, though with a final burst of energy I broke into the box. I jinked around the defenders and found myself with a clear sight of goal on my left foot. What a scuff! The ball dribbled towards the goal, and in!

Victory! I collapsed and the game ended! I am not designed for this heat.

The tour of the market seemed to have gone well and they were now all at the clinic doing some DIY and hanging curtains. We had a late lunch and a quick tour of the train station before crashing in for the night.

The whirlwind tour is over and they leave tomorrow, though replacing them are Mr and Mrs Jones!

Very excited!

Day 233 – Friday 17th September 2010

Armorel’s last Friday cardiac clinic is today so again I am being the guide. Today we are heading out to Livingstone’s museum. I feel I know this place very well.

We were joined by a number of local children as we looked around and wonderfully I keep finding new things I haven't seen before. Like the article on the bottom of a newspaper cutting titled, “Murder in Jersey City”. It was a very detailed account!

We took a scenic drive home before ending up at the clinic. Armorel was still in her cardiac clinic so we sat and refreshed ourselves with some soda, whilst embarking on a language lesson.

The school was the next stop, and though half term, we could see the classrooms and met a few of the boarders who have stayed at school. I can’t believe that I am back to school next week!

This evening we tasted the joys of the Orion. Luckily the service did not disappoint. We waited 2 hours, not all the food came, the starters came after we had all finished, and I was given someone else’s meal!

Day 232 – Thursday 16th September 2010

Armorel and I head off to work early. The bishop is coming to say his goodbyes before he leaves for a new diocese. We are summoned to arrive at 7:30!

We kindly leave the family asleep.

At 11am the tour bus arrived back home to pick up the family for a trip to the Shamba.

The foundations are still empty. Maybe next week?

After a very hot tour we head to the clinic for stop number two.

Luckily Armorel has just finished her rounds and gives a much more detailed and interesting tour of the clinic than I could.

We head home for tea and meal of rice and beans just for Philly!

Day 231 – Wednesday 15th September 2010

We head to work this morning after a quick tidy around the house.

Armorel’s folks and sister arrive this afternoon.

The building work at the clinic is going well and we hope this will be finished off next week. They started plastering today. I managed to entertain myself this morning with some health insurance claim forms.

Armorel was busy today with many patients in the clinic, and only just managed to escape in time to go to the airport.

We arrived and the plane had already landed.

Welcome to Tanzania!

After a long flight we caught up with cups of tea and headed out for a short walk!

The tour of Tabora starts tomorrow!

Day 230 – Tuesday 14th September 2010

Can you believe that this is the last day in September when we don’t have guests staying!

I headed off to the farm early to again try and find these ladies to pay. We arranged to meet at 8am.

Knowing this I arrived at 9am.

They hadn’t arrived. I waited.

I waited some more.

Nothing.

We tried their homes.

Nothing.

I gave up!

Armorel had her cardiac clinic which was busy and might be one of her last. Dr Jim returns next week and will take these clinics back on. I think she is glad because she can now concentrate on sorting and developing the ward before we leave.

This evening we are enjoying a night in. Dinner in front of some more 24 was lovely!

We feel we need to finish the series before returning to ER.

Arms folks arrive tomorrow!

Day 229 – Monday 13th September 2010

Today was a busy day.

After the long weekend the clinic was crazily busy and so Armorel was rushed off her feet all day.

I spent the day rushing around.

Firstly with the plumber trying to find the right piping to fix our leaking sink.

Then trying to find ladies to pay for their help at the farm.

And finally getting the car fixed.

We both finished work exhausted and headed out for a drink. The plan was to have a quick drink, say hi to a friend whose birthday it was and head home.

We couldn’t be bothered to move and so spent most of the evening sat having a drink.

Day 228 – Sunday 12th September 2010

As a final treat for Helen and Paul we are taking them to the Swahili service and so a 7:30am start. It is a strange service, with so little life and energy, and to be honest, a real disappointment, though one of today’s choirs was very good.

It seems to me that the service is very superficial and a ‘look at me at the cathedral’ type service.

Not good at all!

But we weren’t finished there as we headed to the English service immediately after. We have certainly done church today.

It was then time to say goodbye as we took Helen and Paul to the airport.

Goodbye! Sad times.

In their place we picked up our friend Margaret who has been away for a couple of months.

Good luck to my little brother who starts in the Navy tomorrow! We had a lovely quick chat with him, and now it is bed time.

Day 227 – Saturday 11th September 2010

It is another full day off. This is very exciting.

We have a very lazy morning, and headed into the market just before midday. We showed Helen and Paul the sites and managed to stock up the cupboards.

This afternoon we were invited to Danny’s, one of the tobacco guys, for a BBQ and swim in his pool. A very typical experience for Helen and Paul!

It rained again. This is very strange.

This evening we headed out for our last dinner, as Helen and Paul leave tomorrow. It has been great having them here, a real blessing.

It is still raining!

I really can’t believe this.

Our new road sign! Maybe when the president said that Tabora would be like Dubai in 5 years he wasn’t lying!?!?!

Day 226 – Friday 10th September 2010

The moon has been seen and the holiday has begun.

We had a lazy morning and we are overjoyed by the visit of a water man and his truck. Thank you so much kind friends!

After washing and showers, a real novelty this week, we headed off for some sightseeing.

First stop was the Shamba for a quick tour. It was very, very hot.

We then headed off to Livingstone’s museum for a bit of history for Helen and Paul. It really is a fascinating place, and I read some new things I hadn’t seen before. You must read the book.

At this point we are hot and hungry.

We head home via the ice cream shop and post office, thank you mum and dad for the postcard, for a late lunch.

We do nothing for the rest of the day, rousing ourselves to have some food later and watch a classic American church film DVD. So much good, but so much wrong!

And then we hear thunder and see lightening.

Surely we won’t have rain. We are not due any for another 2 months.

We had 5 minutes of light drizzle!

Bizarre!

Day 225 – Thursday 9th September 2010

Tanzania seems to lack organisation which although sometimes freeing, can be rather irritating, and on this occasion bizarre.

Last night everyone was looking at the moon.

Ramadan is strictly controlled by the moon, and so in waiting to see when the month of Ramadan would finish and the celebration of Eid begin, we were looking at the moon. In Tanzania Eid is a two day national holiday, and it starts whenever the new moon is seen. So if it appeared last night, then we are off for two days. If not, we wait until tomorrow night to look.

We didn’t stay awake and so went to work this morning looking for signs of life or signs of holiday.

The moon isn’t ready yet.

So we continue with work. Helen and Paul came over to school for the morning and saw an impromptu assembly. This morning was also the English mid-term, so they had a go at that too.

Following that and with the money on the moon being seen tomorrow, they decided that we would finish school now. No hanging around.

The exam finished at 9:45am.

School finished at 10:15am.

I spent the rest of the day marking papers before heading over to the clinic. I found Helen and Paul busily organising, tidying and labelling all manner of drugs and things.

This evening we went to Faraja’s house, a lady from church, for dinner. We had a lovely meal of western and traditional dishes. I particularly liked the pumpkin leaf dish but it seems I was the only one.

We are now heading to bed with the prospect of an unexpected bank holiday weekend ahead!

Oh and enjoy this photo. At least some of Armorel’s cleanliness messages get through.

Day 224 – Wednesday 8th September 2010

Today was the second visit to the village of Umanda, with a new pair of baby weighing hands. They had just less than 200 patients and had a nice fun day, which for a village clinic day was also quite relaxing. Though they did return home, hot and dusty from the journey.

My day was far less exciting. I helped to invigilate 3 more exams. One to go tomorrow and that’s English. The boredom must have been setting in though, as half way through I developed a very strange shuffling walk around the students doing their exams, which caused great hilarity. Not a good example for a teacher.

I forgot to say yesterday that we are out of water again. We haven’t got a single drop. It must say a lot about life out here when I don’t even think to mention that.

So after we all got home, and because we wanted to wash and maybe flush the toilet we headed out with the buckets to the local pump to get some water. I think the locals were wondering why the rich white people were doing this, but we are in need.

This evening we have watched a couple of episodes of 24 and are now off to bed, though it’s very sticky and warm tonight. 

Hot African living has begun, and with no water it’s wonderful!

Day 223 – Tuesday 7th September 2010

So last night at about 3am the dogs went wild, and I mean wild. We found out this morning that someone was trying to break into places down our street but the dogs chased them off.

So we are tried this morning.

It was another day of exams at school, so I again helped to organise and invigilate. It is not the most exciting work but needs to be done. As teachers will know, there are plenty of games to play whilst invigilating exams. The only problem was I had no one to play them with.

Armorel had a very busy cardiac clinic today. I managed to sit in on one patient at the end of the day and was so impressed. Her Swahili is very good, and her ability to deal with the patient was excellent. A really proud husband!

Helen and Paul were set various bits and pieces to help at the clinic and are definitely getting some things organised for us which is great. They also had a tour of the school.

This evening Armorel and I headed out for a quick drink as one of the short termers is leaving tomorrow, and now it is bed time as it’s another village day tomorrow and so Armorel, Helen and Paul are off early.

I have more exams!

Day 222 – Monday 6th September 2010

A new week begins.

This week is exam week at school before our mid-term break. I arrived to all sorts of fussing and unorganised mess, and had to laugh at it all. I helped to get things sorted and after a change in exam timetable and rearranging the classrooms we could begin.

I then sat waiting for a meeting. At 1:45pm I was told we would meet tomorrow instead.

Don’t worry; I only waited from 9am!

Armorel took Helen and Paul to the clinic and they embarked on the thankless task of tidying one of the main storage containers. They found many fun things, including over 300 nurses uniforms and nearly 500 incontinence pads. All very useful though. It was hot work too, as the container does get rather warm in the mid day sun.

We finished off the day doing bits and pieces and headed home for a cup of tea and some custard creams. I was very happy!

This evening we have started watching 24. A series I have never seen and one to help control our ER urges. I don’t think it will ever replace ER but it will do as a filler.

It is now time to bed, but at 10pm, the temperature stills reads 27! I think it’s going to be a warm night.

Day 221 – Sunday 5th September 2010

It was a very warm Sunday morning. I think it is going to be a hot day. There is no mistaking that the hot season is here.

Church was good this morning. We are starting to really enjoy it but do miss a large vibrant community.

We headed home via our supermarket to show Helen and Paul the shopping delights.

The rest of the day we have all been very lazy and relaxed. Most of us sleeping, reading and generally doing very little.

Though we did have to deal with another ant invasion. This time they had attacked a bag of nappies which Helen and Paul had brought over for us. They get everywhere!

This evening we cooked a lovely curry, though with no rice. That went spectacularly wrong! I think we all were wishing for Tesco easy cook rice. Though the actually curry was lovely. Why it went wrong? We don’t really know, but after the long process of preparing we were a bit gutted.

We then settled down for our nature evening.

BUT before we could start we saw a rather large spider. You just don’t take risks with them. So Paul and I armed with newspaper and bug spray went on the attack.

20 minutes later we had victory and we could start the programme.

Tomorrow we all head to work and will see what the day brings. It is exam week at school so I am not sure what that will actually mean for me.

We will see.

Day 220 – Saturday 4th September 2010

Most of us had a nice lazy morning and leisurely breakfast. I, however, woke before seven and was wide awake.

This morning we were heading to a local high school for their new library opening. A team of 4 UK students from Read International have been in Tabora for the last month distributing books to schools and establishing a library. Today was the grand opening and we had been invited along.

As with all things it was running late, and then we get taken to a  special assembly, and became guests of honour. 

We are given prime seats up on the stage. I am not sure Helen and Paul were expecting such a spectacle or having to say hello to the large crowd of students.

Luckily it was quite a short affair, which included a tour of the new resource, which made me insanely jealous, and then we were off to our next stop, the clinic.

We gave them a quick tour around and introduced them to some people before heading home for lunch and an afternoon of nothing.

This evening we experienced the Orion and are now ready for bed.

Day 219 – Friday 3rd September 2010

We wake excited that Helen and Paul arrive today but are a bit confused as to when they actually arrive. We have been given 4 different times.

I taught first thing and then headed into town and the market to make sure the cupboards are not empty for our guests. It was a busy morning! I also popped into the airline office to try and confirm the flight arrival time. We think around 3pm, but it could be earlier or later.

Work ticked along for the rest of the day, with Armorel having a quieter than usual cardiac clinic. We then heard a plane fly over!

We rushed out couldn’t see a plane, but took the risk and rushed to the airport.

Nothing!

Luckily only 35 minutes later they arrived.

We have had a wonderful evening catching up and enjoying a number of lovely goodies!

Fun, fun, fun!

Day 218 – Thursday 2nd September 2010

We both slept really well last night and the alarm only just managed to stir us.

Today, at work, Armorel had a falling out with her laptop, which proved to be highly frustrating and ran a training session with the nurses on oxygen and nebs. I presume on how much and how often etc.

My day was long and unexciting. In my lessons I tried to get the classes to design some revision posters but their lack of creative skills and no imagination meant we weren’t very successful. I did however manage to plan half my lessons for next term in the long moments of nothing. I have never been this organised!

This afternoon we played netball and football with the students. We had good fun and are starting to see some improvement, though Armorel finds the constant arguing of the girls’ quite irritating. They really are bad. We had fun in the football when during a game one of the kids came running out from goal screaming, “Snake!”

At once all the boys picked up rocks and went to look. After 5 minutes of throwing rocks at a tree they finally agreed that it was just a branch and not a snake. The game could now continue.

It was very dusty today.

This evening we have relaxed, had a nice Skype chat to my mum and watched an ER.

Helen and Paul arrive tomorrow!

Very exciting!

Day 217 – Wednesday 1st September 2010

Armorel headed off to Mwakashindye hoping that it would be a relatively quiet village day, and certainly not the 450+ patients from last month.

Luckily they had just over 250 which made it a very pleasant clinic. Armorel did have to treat a 2 week year old with malaria and a 7 seven year old who was very sick with HIV / AIDS, which is always tough.

My day was frustrating. The power went off at about 8am and didn’t come back till gone 4pm, and considering my whole to do list was based on using some form of electrical equipment, I was not very successful.

This evening we finished off our monthly newsletter, in the dark as the power had gone again, and watched a very good episode of ER.

It is now bedtime and strangely a little chilly.