Monitoring times

And so it came to pass that the time came for our al to short sojorn in the U.K. but first the knotty problem of sorting out resident (and probably in view of blog status, enemy) alien status. You did not expect it to be easy did you and predictably after the usual short and curt conversation and the lifting of $20 I was instructed to return for a 30 day visa, not a problem as we were flying out next day. They did however, despite ignoring it, find my status on their computer. As soon as we returned to the U.K. we were off to the passport office where we were also on the system but even our recent photos were unacceptable (no smiles) so some £s in the machine and a cadaveric photo later we were in the system with new and visa less passports. Karen with resident status was O.K. but I had another trip to the embassy, nearly wasted as I did not have a photocopy but helpfully they did one for me. No chance of 6 months though! So a wonderful week in England, hot showers with plentiful water that does not smell, bacon lamb and even Christmas dinner. Really nice to catch up with friends and the generosity of those who have given things that will help is overwhelming – thank you all. A week in Switzerland with deep snow, seriously expensive eating out and a bad fall (I would like to say it was on the skiing slopes but in reality down the chalet stairs at night) - even more painful but a great change from the reality of every day life down Gimbie way. The change has made it difficult to come back but now we are returned and in for the long haul. In addition to all the medical goodies (read on) I also elected, as they were so keen to bring back my old sonicaid fetal monitor, in an aluminium case. Predictably it got stopped in customs and impounded as the computer was down. When I returned to try and pick it up they were at a loss to know what to do, it is after all some 30 years old. Off to see the man (woman?) from the health office next door but no one there, no one expected and a lot of shrugging in a silent Ethiopian dancing sort of way so there it stays pending confiscation or some reasonable though unlikely compromise, little do they know how many Ethiopian women might be spared a caesarean section, but we can but speculate. The reason for the delays in picking up the monitor was our trip down south to Moyale, the seat of much tribal trouble on the Kenyan side, murder strife, lynching (yes really) and the like and the place of arrival of the newly repaired but despite the enormity of the bill un-cleaned car. It arrived, only partially repaired and very battered, from its trip in a lorry and there had been some desperate attempts to remove a relatively bullet proof and very expensive roof rack which culminated in the breaking of a bracket and the loss of important nuts and bolts requiring a lot of superglue and ingenuity to make it fit for the extensive luggage gifts and things that it would have to take. Dealing with lots of surly Kenyans and not a word of apology from the perpetrators, but really what would you expect. Some readers will recall that I was winging about the air conditioning not working and the reason was that the expensive service by Guildford Toyota did not seem to include re gassing-really helpful that ! However a big result, the result of a marvel in chat up lines from Karen is that we have the car for 6 months, which will see us through to our return so although we have some doubts about its ability to stand the roads-dry season and very dusty we have wheels and Karen can do her work, unhindered by Ethiopian prevarication. That now being done I can get my resident enemy alien status and we should be there. Our trip back included a lovely afternoon in Haile Selassies 1950s hotel on the lake at Hawassa, a great mini break and we can see why he went there for the view. Back to Addis and on to Gimbie offering, without thought of charge lifts to those who wished to charge us per deums petrol and all the other extras – white mugs or what!! On our journey back we met the new surgeon, they now come from the Black Lion Hospital, the big one in Addis for a month at a time and he was appalled by the small size of Gimbie and he remarked that he was glad that there was only 28 days to go-on the same reckoning we have 178 before the car, sorry truck, has to be in Djibouti so that is our time then. Camilla, reborn or rebadged, depending on your perspective, is now an NGO training GP/ex GP public health doctor / do gooding NGO sort of person and will be part of our little disparate and potentially deeply dysfunctional band for the next 6 months too but we will do our best to keep out of the on going and troublesome conflicts. As it is some interesting potential conflicts, or potential for great farce are on the horizon including the simultaneous arrival of cycling people, thirsty from great killometerage and in need of beer and bum rubs and a group of senior ‘adventists’ concerned about the possible lack of spirituality about the place and of course for a general inspection as trouble there has been. It is thus, duty free permitting, that they may stumble upon a form spirituality that they least expect and of which they will undoubtedly disapprove.
Meanwhile back at the ranch the vouchers for the deserving poor have been withdrawn and thus so have the poor who now have to travel through the bad areas (even red light or thieving district) to a woefully inadequately equipped government hospital which will not be equipped until they show need and need is of course shown by damaging or neglecting by lack of resource those who are denied care in an adequate facility by sudden withdrawal of a resource that was there. This is I think what passes as forward planning. I have some equipment that may help and will bring them up but travelling up there may at night be difficult because of the relative roughness and my inability to fit in easily. This has meant that my week end on, my Ethiopian oppo having done the last 4 weeks on his own, was relatively peaceful, the only excitement being the usual suction less Ventouse and a poor newly married young lady whose first night adventure resulted in a significant vulval tear, bleed and surgical repair, to the horror of our visiting elective med student. Her experiences must be interesting a combination of Ethiopian life in the raw and a an American ‘dorm’ full of proselytising Adventists, the wedding ring however is a protecting fake.