Scattered

Oh, time to post again. Life is clearly getting busier because it is harder to post at the end of the day. Also things must be getting more routine because I was saying to myself- "what new and exciting things to I have to post about?" and wasn't able to come up with anything..... my mind is very scattered tonight but here is what is going around and around...

• I discovered we have a LARGE monitor lizard living in our yard. I'm glad we saw him before we got chickens because I would have been frustrated if we had bought them only to have them start disappearing. I guess we should figure out a way to get him to live somewhere else.
• We managed to finish our outdoor volleyball court. Had the pipes purchased, measured, welded and cemented in for poles. We've laid out the court and have the ball ready to go. We are planning on playing the first game on it tomorrow for our team's 4th of July celebration.
• I went out to see Lazaro and Abraham again yesterday and only get more discouraged every time. I think their mother just doesn't care anymore. Or she feels so helpless it is easier not to care. We arrived around noon and she had not feed Abraham yet that day. With some "encouragement" from Angela (on of the handicapped advocates I went with that day) the mother made some porridge and fed him. And we also found a bug burrowing into the skin on his foot that needed to be dug out- another clear sign of neglect. 
• I brought one of the Gweri kids to the clinic because I just couldn't figure out why this 2 year old girl was so lethargic and has never learned to walk. The doctor's only real suggestion (besides malnutrition- duh, and malaria- give me a break, more on this topic in the future) was a referral to take the child to the neuro hospital in Mbale. So now the middle of next week will include a trip to that hospital. And if I'm driving all the way I'm not going with only one so I went back to the home of a 4 year old that I met that has seizures constantly. His family is interested in having him seen there also. But to be honest I'm not holding out a lot of hope for this trip and I really pray that it isn't just a waste of time and resources.
• I've been visiting at least once a week, sometimes more, with Anna Grace. She has end stage AIDs. I've been providing commfort (it is amazing how far meds go when a person has never had ANY pain medicine in their life before). Her strength seemed to come and go and she has had trouble with pain and not being able to sleep but that seemed to be getting a little better. Until today. She has developed an upper GI bleed and was too weak to sit up. I suspect she is close to the end but the family has asked me to help get her into the hospital. To get her out of the village and into town she has to ride on the back of a bike several kilometers to a main road and then on the back of a motorcycle the rest of the way. She is far too weak for that. So they asked if I will come back monday and pick her up. I'm sure they also need help paying. The way the system works here is you pay a little at triage. Then, after the doctor sees you and writes his prescriptions your family or whoever came with you to the hospital has to go to the pharmacy for what you need. This includes IV fluids, needles, tubing, any medications, drinking water, tubes for labs if he has ordered them- any supplies needed to care for the patient. But back to Anna Grace. Between the TB that I'm sure she has, the GI bleed (from stomach cancer?) and the HIV where can you even begin?! Just getting her into my car and bumping up the foot path to the road may do her in. Of course I told them that I can pick her up but I feel like it is against my better judgment. The sub par care at the hospital will just put her through so much pain for what purpose?! She will never get back to her home.

Well, so for not having anything to write about I managed to ramble on for a while. This coming week is sure to be full of challenges. Please keep praying for me!