We found out that not only does Meri know Adamu’s mother but so does Amama. Amama was so annoyed this morning when she found out who Adamu’s mother was! Yesterday evening Zorash went to Adamu’s grandmother’s house to let her know that Adamu would be discharged on Friday. She was surprised when she saw a pre-teen girl carrying Adamu. Zorash asked the girl who brought Adamu to the grandmother’s house and she said that the aunt brought her. Zorash asked if they were treating the child with herbs and traditional medicine. This just confirms what we thought was happening and the urgency of the aunt to keep leaving the hospital. Later in the evening Adamu’s grandmother came to Zorash’s house; she told her that she had contacted a traditional healer that said Adamu’s problem was not a hospital problem and that he knew how to treat her with local treatment. He needs to take her to some village in the bush to be able to treat her properly. The grandmother has full confidence that his treatment will work. Well, he has been treating her for months and it is not working. We are just sick; we were afraid this was what was going to happen. Can you imagine an 18 month old being handed over to strange men? We hope that Social Welfare will be able to intervene somehow.
The hospital nutritional officer sent a mother and child to the Center this morning. The child is severely malnourished. He is almost 4 years old and weighs 5 kilo (11 pounds). We doubted the child’s age so Zorash called the officer and she confirmed that the child was almost 4. He does not have as much muscle wasting as Adamu so maybe he has not been neglected as long as Adamu was. At least his mother is willing to take care of him. The family has no money and is not able to buy the powdered milk, oil, sugar and plastic bags the nurses need to prepare his food. We had everything at the mission house that they needed except the blood tonic. Maybe the family can find the money for that; if not we will provide that too. Hopefully juju is not involved in this case.
Mr. Iddrisu came back to work this morning. He said that he can see much clearer now; he still will need glasses. He goes back to the hospital for a recheck in 2 weeks. We told him to ask the doctor how long he had to wait before he could be fitted with glasses. We desperately needed him in the Center this morning because the mothers came out in their numbers to get baby clothes. Mr. Iddrisu made the cards for all the new mothers which was a huge help. Steve was out of pocket this morning because he had his continuing education class at the hospital. Once he got back he started packing meds for tomorrow.
It is time for Bible study so I will close for now. Skeeter will write his portion after we get back.
In HIS Service,
Steve and Kandie
The Monkey Shines
Mom caught 2 more grasshoppers for me; this time I knew what to do with them! Heads off, discard the wings and the spiny legs, savor the abdomen. YUM! The only thing I don’t get about eating these bugs is that I have never seen Mom eat one. That seems a little suspicious to me!
I helped Mom sort baby clothes today; I had a grand time jumping from container to container then from plastic garbage bag to garbage bag. I delighted in rolling around in the clothes! First thing this morning we went over to the apartment which is attached to the main house; this is where the clothes are stored. The apartment has not been cleaned in over a year; there was dust everywhere! I loved to jump from table to chair just to watch the dust fly! My hand and footprints are everywhere! My tail made a good duster! The best part was jumping from the chairs and landing on Mom; you should have seen her arms and dress; they were covered in dust. But like she always says, “Dust is clean dirt!”
The parents have successfully secured my jail cell. I tried and tried but I could not find a way to escape! Poor me! They spoiled that game for me!
I have diaper rash! It is from those “pampers” they put on me! I have two leather pads on my buttock that I use for sitting. That is where the diaper rash is. It is not painful yet, just red but Mom does not want it to get any worse so yesterday Mom started putting Shea butter on my bottom. As if I don’t already have to suffer enough humiliation without someone rubbing Shea butter on my leather pads!! Alright, already enough is enough!
Stop the nonsense!
Love Skeeter
