2nd Septpost Cockroach attack

2nd Sep after the cockroach affair

After reflecting on last nights events, I have concluded that if I aint enjoying something I should change it up. And then on further reflection, especially after having such a nice day in the hospital, I don’t think that I am over Kenya so to speak, mate im just over village life. And so I have decided that tomo I will begin at Siaya district for one week, and then for my last week, I will travel to Embu a town just outside Nairobi, and do a weeks placement in the hospital there. This hospital (i am told) is run by majority female Drs –this I am very excited about; being surrounded by men has taken its toll on my feminist self. Everyday a proposal, every day some middle aged Kenyan man wanting to make me his wife, offering my family various farm yard animals for my hand in marriage. And everyday, its a bloody know. Hey listen im not boosting, Ive only had one fine young thing ask me out, bless him the medical officer that I work closely with really likes me –yikes mate. Aside from him, the flow of eligible bachelors and married who come to the hospital asking ‘to get to know me’ are minging. Im talking about unbrushed teeth-fuck that teeth missing, unwashed bodies –BO that smells pathological, but the thing is these men all dress smartly, clothes ironed, shoes shined, always looking official carrying some brief case stuffed full of papers and flashing wicked up to date blackberries. But the stink, the stink man,im totally immune to body odur now. You think the wiffs that steam from peoples body on packed buses and tubes are bad, man alive you aint smelt the smells her in Kenya. Wowza. And dya know what it aint about not having running water, I DONT HAVE RUNNING WATER, and i forgot to bring deodorant, and for a few weeks neglected shaving my armpit hair, and yes at the end of the day sometimes, i have a slight pong about me, but man at 8am Mr i wanna marry you fucking stinks. Man Im being cruel i guess. Its just so hard at times to work in such a male dominated field, its not that Im not listened to or even that we don’t work together, cause we do. Its just the constant side comments about who im gonna get with, who I like, introductions to smelly yucky men, sexual innuendos about who I spend time with. Argh its boring and Im kinda glad to leave the place despite the fact That im really gonna miss some of the staff big time.

Mr I have TB but the hospital diagnosed it too late died last night.
The boy with the Chiggars is eating and washing his own feed now, and taking his TB meds.
Mr RTAs skull xray came back and guess what, he has a temporal skull fracture and a lovely sub dural, and his GCS was doen form 10 to 8 today, 1 as he dosnt open his eyes. 1 cause dosent talk. And 6 cause he localises pain. He is pretty much comatose thou. Wets himself, dosnt move, dosnt open his eyes, is barely breathing. On th verge mate and guess what we are doing for him, a drip. Today I had the pleasure of cleaning his eg wound and head wound. Cleaning the wounds of guy on the way out, who everybody says will be ok with time. Right.
and also I caught his relatives trying to feed him porridge. This man who is pretty much comatose is being made to swallow!!

The sun had its hat on today. One of the staff who has decided that she is my mother as I look far to young to be doing the thing that I am, took me to a massive market in Lunanda. Speaking of markets, we had very few people turn up to the hospital today. WHY? Because its market day, and apparently Kenyans don’t get ill on market day. Just like Kenyans don’t get ill on Sunday morning cause its church morning.

Anyways, we walked half way and caught a bus the rest of the way to Luanda market. (initially Catherine the HIV dr tried to get me to double up with her on a motorbike. Hell no. This motorbikes, are death on wheels mate. Most of the RTAs in Kenya are caused by them as these men have no licenses, no helmets, no sense of direction or balance and mate when they swerve you die! So i managed to avoid that mode of transport and we arrived at the market on bus. Lord, the market was busy, colourful, vibrant amazing. Exactly how I imagined an African market to be. Food, all kinds of food were everywhere, women sold their wears next to each other . No one argued if you bought from their neighboring vendor. I spoke not a word as I didnt wanna give away my non Luo self. I got 7 potatoes for 20p. 7 tomatoes for 20p. A whole stick of sugar cane for 20p and a massive pineapple for 50p (English equivalent of money). The market was amazing, the sun was hot and Catherine was excited to show me where she bough stuff and introduced me to all her friends. It was a lovely end to the day, and cheered me up no end from the pure nastiness of sleeping with a cockroach.

Actually, the most uplifting aspect of the day was the lovely call I got from my sistah Janet, ended with her blasting my fav grace jones tune down the phone!

So im happy again and gonna proper enjoy my last two weeks.

Ah health update. It is worms, lovely small worms in my gut. In my poo. Killing them fuckers with medication thou. Ha iv had worms. AMAZING!