I have been running two clinics – this is what it feels like – on the mission site for almost three weeks now. I was excited about the possibility of being able to close one today and hopefully the second one real soon. Not!!!!
Yesterday, Monday, all the children went to school besides Leica and Vladimy. Leica had been the first kid to get sick. She became ill on Sunday, Nov. 17th. She had a high fever and felt miserable for a week. Then she felt better and returned to school for a week while others, one after another, became ill with it. Both clinics ‘Lower’ at kid’s homes and ‘Upper’ at my place were full and very busy – especially in light of the fact they had only one fulltime (24 hr/day) employee. She was a combination dr/nurse/mama. Actually the job continues as the clinics were unable to close.
On Sunday we took a mattress to the school for Ti Luc to lie on in one of the classrooms while we had the service. He got it Friday night, was still ill on Sunday, but was able to go to school on Monday and is fine. Thanking God that he got through it quickly. Leica was fine all last week and was fine Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon, however, she had a raging fever again. Yesterday, Monday, Leica was worse – she was quite ill. I sat with her for most of the afternoon. Leica obviously was at home yesterday but I sent all the rest to school. At 9:00 a.m. I had to bring Dieunel back home due to fever. At 10:00 I had to bring Josie back home. My clinic doors had to stay open. I had Leica at the Upper Clinic and the other two at the Lower Clinic.
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| Leica bringing Ti Luc’s mattress back home from the church |
This morning I took Leica to see the pediatrician in St. Marc. I felt it was a virus as all the kids ended up with it but I needed to know if there was more I should be doing. The doctor did blood work to rule out malaria and other things. He said I was doing a good job of handling it and ‘to continue doing what I had been doing’. I laughingly replied that I had no energy to continue and no intention of the sickness continuing. I said it had to end ‘t o d a y’. Yeah right! Dream on Mama Karen.
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| Leica at doctor’s office. |
This morning I had sent Dieunel and Josie back to school again as they did not have a fever and exams are coming up real soon. I thought this time it was done for sure. While at doctor’s office with Leica I received a call from Luckner saying they had sent Dieunel home as he was quite hot. Holy Toledo. This is too
much!!!!!
I had to return to St. Marc again this afternoon for the results of Leica’s blood work. When I did I took Dieunel and Josie with me so the doctor could examine them and do blood work on them too. Josie had no fever when we arrived but Dieunel sure did. Dieunel continued to get worse throughout the afternoon. Anyone who has been here knows that I do not like going to St. Marc. Going twice in one day, spending all day (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) on the road or in the doctor’s office, was an act of love for sure. I would not do it for any other reason.
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| Dieunel and Josie waiting to see the doctor |
Got home from St. Marc finally at 5:00 p.m. when about to get dark. Came in to my place – the ‘Upper Clinic’ and found JJ asleep in the living room. That was not normal and it scared me. I did not want to face anymore of this. He had a headache and I treated it. I decided I should keep a close eye on him. An hour later I went to check all the kids again and found JJ was really hot. Oh no. No end in sight. No rest for the weary mama yet.
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| My hot little boy, Dieunel, after we returned home |
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| JJ now has it too |
What a time to be here alone. Alone as in the physical presence of someone to help me with it all. But never alone because I have the help that comes from the Lord.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the prayer support, for the encouragement which really does help me to keep going. Blessings to all of you.
It is A L L A B O U T T H E C H I L D R E N
~Karen
