Friday-Mar. 11th - Wednesday-Mar. 16th

Friday-Mar. 11^th  -  Thinking of our sister-in-law, Jean, today.  It is her birthday.  Happy Birthday, Jean.  We love you.

Of course after the tree trimming yesterday the guys are burning again and Tim is also mowing the yard.

Kim is busy preparing dinner.  A large fresh pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and etc.  Special dessert, pound cake served with pineapple slices (butter and brown sugar) broiled and whipped cream on top.  Since she didn't have enough with 4 house guest she invited Dr. Ruth and a little boy 8 years old who is under Ruth's care right now.  On top of everything she started running a temperature along with Bill and Sam, one of the men from Ireland, wasn't feeling well, so looks like it's off to the clinic in the morning to be tested.  I do try to help Kim as much as I can.

Saturday-Mar 12^th  -  Kim, Sam, Bill and I off to the clinic after breakfast.  I was feeling fine and we all knew that Kim was the sickest one.  They talked me into being tested for malaria too.  We all tested positive for malaria but Kim.  It seems that she doesn't test positive unless she has a fever when pricked.  So four of us started on malaria meds and some on antibiotic also.  Bill also has a touch of pneumonia and the doctor started him on antibiotic and a nebulizer was brought to the house for breathing treatments.  Dr. Ruth is overly protective with him because of his CLL and we are glad.  She thinks we should consider going home early.  She doesn't like that he has had 3 bouts of fever.  Wants to check him again Monday.  

Everyone spend a restless night with fever and etc.  Not me, I still feel fine and no symptoms except a slight headache.

Tim said he was changing the name of the house from “Guest House” to “Hospital”.

When we had lunch with Al and Rose from “The Golden Eagle,” Kim invited Rose and Illa, Bharat's wife, to come by on Saturday.  That is today!  Rose had never seen Kim's house and she wanted to see it.  They arrived at 5:00 p.m. With Rose's daughter and niece.  They were given a tour of the house and were served pound cake, cookies, roasted and candied peanuts and cold drinks outside in the yard.  All really enjoyed the evening.  I'm sure they did since it was almost 9:00 p.m. when they left.  Kim was really sick but didn't want to cancel on them.

Sunday-Mar. 13^th  -  Bill and I stayed home but everyone else went to church in the village and out to eat at Tabora Hotel.  Bill seemed better during the day.

Kim should have stayed home because by the time they got home her temperature was very high and she felt terrible.

Monday-Mar. 14^th   -  Bill and Kim both had a terrible night.  Tim took Bill to the clinic and Kim was in bed most of the day – up and down.  Dr. Ruth told Tim that she thinks Kim has typhoid and Kim agrees.

Dr. Ruth gave Bill more medicine.  During the afternoon about 4:30 p.m., Bill's temperature went up to 101.5 so we called Dr. Ruth so off to the clinic we went prepared to spend the night but guess what by the time we got to the clinic the power was off.  Dr. Ruth put in a port for an IV and gave him a mega dose of antibiotic and sent us home to come back to the clinic in the morning.

Another up and down night checking temperature, giving Tylenol and going to the bathroom.

Tuesday-Mar 15^th  -  Kim says she is feeling a little better and hoping she has turned the corner.

Dr. Ruth picked Bill and I up at 7:45 a.m. on her way to the clinic. It was our understanding that Bill would be on oxygen during the day for a couple of days and spend the night at home.  Doctor changed her mind and wants Bill on oxygen for 48 hours so he has to stay in a private room and I have to go home.  I didn't like that so I asked, “Who will fan him?”  Understand there is no air conditioning or fans.  Finally she said I could stay and they fixed up a room for me to sleep in.

When we arrived at the clinic they started getting Bill on oxygen, gave an injection on the IV port and a shot in the arm.  About a hour or so they took Bill off the oxygen machine for about an hour because a very sick baby had been brought.  The clinic only has 1 oxygen machine.

Let me tell you about this private room Bill has.  It has its own bath but the stool doesn't flush and no toilet paper!  We have been to Africa enough that I came prepared.  Oh yes, the outside door can't be closed because of sharing the oxygen machine and a tube has to go out the door to the baby just outside Bill's room in an open air area.

Dr. Ruth called Tim in the late afternoon and asked him to bring our mosquito spray.  When he saw the set up and understood the door much be left open he wasn't very happy.  Earlier in the day he had been out and saw the set up and didn't like it but said that the baby wouldn't be staying all night because that door must be closed!

Shortly before 7:00 p.m. mosquitoes started swarming into the room.  I began frantically fanning to try to keep them away from Bill.  Dr. Ruth called a short time later and asked how things were going.  I told her Bill's room was filled with mosquitoes!  She said that she would take care of it.  She immediately called one of the nurses and instructed her to get us out of the room and spray it and put a mosquito net over the doorway.  Meantime, we were in an open waiting room and I was still fanning Bill like crazy.  He said you can stop fanning now, I'm not hot.  I said I'm trying to keep the mosquitoes off you!  It didn't take long until things began to look better.  Needless to say I slept very little.  It was noisy and the light had to be kept on so I was watching for mosquitoes and going up the hall to check on Bill.  I spent most of the night sitting in his room and watching him sleep like a baby.  He rested well!  Thank the Lord!

Wednesday-Mar. 16^Th  -  All the meds, oxygen and good night's rest did wonders for Bill.  He hasn't had any fever at all today and his appetite is back.  Kim sent his supper out to him tonight, fresh pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

I did come home and have my supper with Tim and Kim and will spend the night here and go back out in the morning.

Please don't get me wrong!  We love Dr. Ruth and she is doing an amazing job with what she has to work with!  Please continue to pray for all of us.

Kim said a while ago that today has been her best day.  She is still on meds.  Tim is fighting a cold.  Pastor John went to the clinic today and he has malaria too.  I am doing fine.

We are still waiting to hear from our travel agent to see about returning home earlier than planned.