Dorothy and Paul

I just met Dorcus' sister Dorothy, this morning. Dorcus is the 16 year old girl Beckie bloged about here (Dorcus) and I've mentioned before. She is frequently at our house. While our house help has been out on maternity leave Dorcus asked to do some work for us to make some money. She worked really hard and I felt bad because Helen is back and we really can't afford to hire both of them.


Anyway, Dorcus brought her little sister to me this morning because she clearly needed to go to the clinic but they don't have the money. I took one look at her and knew in my gut she is HIV positive. She has sores all over her little body. She was hot and complained of pain all over, clearly dehydrated from vomiting. I tested for malaria- negative. So I taught Dorcus how to make/use the oral re-hydration solution. I gave tylenol and motrin and explained when and how to use. We talked about HIV and I encouraged her to take her little sister to be tested. But then, very quietly, while looking at her hands, Dorcus told me she has a younger brother who is positive and Dorothy's father is positive and so is Dorcus' mother. Well, I think that answers that.

Then we sat and had tea and talked about other things.
Later in the morning we walked over to Amecet and I held little Paul. Paul seems to have thrush in his lungs. He has open sores around his mouth and all over his tongue. He has a feeding tube because the thrush is so bad he can't eat. He can't weigh more than 12 pounds at 8 months old. He had the worst retractions I've ever seen and I'm really afraid he doesn't have the strength to maintain his work of breathing. In that states he would be on a vent but that isn't part of the chance he's being given here. Instead we hold him and pray.
Now I sit at my computer and try to think of other things before going to bed....