outreach just yet as having returned from a holiday I'm now covering others
time off. This at least allows me a couple of weeks to get slowly readjusted
back to life here. How quickly and easy it is to forget what a harsh and
unforgiving environment this is.
The flight back in was, thankfully, much less eventful than the flight out.
>From the air it is possible to see the transformation in the landscape.
Sandy yellow is the new green. The change is little short of remarkable.
This area gets more rainfall than south east England, it just happens to get
it in just under three months (July, August, and September.) The rest of the
year is arid and dry. I was looking at photographs of what things looked
like in August and it is like a different county. Our airstrip, that only a
few months ago was ankle deep in water, is now a long, thin sand pit.
The wind whips around the mud huts and the buildings. It carries sand and
dust in every corner and crevice imaginable. Every surface is covered in a
fine film of it. The air itself is warm and a little like having a softly
blowing hair dryer six inches from you… permanently. And this, my friends is
only the beginning. Soon it's going to get REALLY hot.
By the afternoon of my arrival it was back to work with a bump. Various
patients, various problems, all in need of sorting out. Tonight I've just
returned from dealing with a child who was having a nasty convulsion. The
fitting we have managed to stop, but as might be expected he remains deeply
unconscious. He has no fever and the malaria test is negative so I'm not
really sure why he is convulsing, there is a list as long of my arm of
possible causes. We have given everything and covered all the bases
possible, I've just had a bit of a chat with the mum and dad and they seem
quite clued up. The situation is, needless to say, dire. we will see how the
night goes, but it is not up to me anymore.
So a few weeks here and then, hopefully some outreach, with a new outreach
buddy who is currently in the other base, doing a similar job to me. There
is also a staff party to organise, so I won't be sitting around.
I hope you are all struggling back to work ok, for those who have e-mailed;
apologies for my hopelessness I will sit down and reply soon.
