The days here are so full of many things both wonderful and not so wonderful, but one always looks for the beauty in each encounter. There is joy, strength, and so often knowledge to access from those around us. This past week I had two Blessings in my life.
Blessing (that is her name) number one is an 11 yr old girl who was admitted with fever and pneumonia. She is HIV positive from birth and her mother has passed so she is cared for most lovingly by her grandmother, this not an uncommon scenario here in sub-saharan Africa. Blessing responded well to her treatment and her immune system is holding strong so far as she was able to go home after a few days. She so kindly allowed me to take her picture in the sunshine outside the ward. Her outfit is quite lovely, isn't it? She is so poor however, that she had no other clothes and wore it 24 hours a day while in hospital.
Blessing number two was admitted the day Blessing number one was discharged. Sweet little Blessing is 1 yr old and was brought to the clinic with a fever by her mom. She looked like a limp dish rag and was so sad hanging a ride on her mom's back. She turned out to have malaria and was admitted and treated and was feeling so much better by the next morning. After she was treated and ready to go home I discussed malaria with mom as she did not know that this illness is exclusively transmitted by mosquitoes, hopefully she will get a mosquito net and place over the bed she and Blessing share.
We should all count our numerous blessings that we have so many medical problems that we are virtually free from and have access to some of the best care in the world.
Give your little ones an big hug tonight.
Hi Eddie,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know I'm really enjoying reading your posts. It sounds like you're doing great work. Blogs like yours do a wonderful job of raising awareness of the remarkable disparity in human conditions across the world.
Juston
Hi Eddy,
ReplyDeletePerfect. You have a knack for headlines!
Blessing is a beautiful girl and appears to wear her treasured pink dress
and sweater proudly.
Thank goodness for the grandmothers who take on the care of these
children so lovingly, and doctors, like you, who keep them healthy.
It is difficult to comprehend that there has been no education about
malaria and mosquitoes, and I take a deep sigh with that realization.
Juston is correct when he writes that our awareness is being raised.
Continued thanks for the good you do.
Ciao,
Alice