Have to give the update on the patients from last week.  The little boy with the hemoglobin of 0.9 is doing okay.  He was still in the hospital but his platelets and white count came back up on their own.  His fevers have gone away, and he is acting better.  In some crossing of communication (not uncommon here), the nurse said he is waiting to go to Kabwe for treatment for his retinablastoma (cancerous eye tumor).  Not sure that was diagnosed before or after I saw him.  So he still has a long road ahead, but I was so glad to see him alive. The little girl with sickle cell with fevers that wouldn't stop had her fevers stop after we stopped all her antibiotics for a day.  She went home three days later since no fever returned, and she was doing well. Her doing well certainly boosted my reputation...not that I can take credit.  "We treat, Jesus heals." is never a truer statement then here.  This week took care of two very dehydrated little girls.  Praying they pull through.
     Friday was a neat experience.  Christine was at Bethel Clinic while I was at the hospital.  I got a referred patient from her and Mr. Mutale each as I was working in the outpatient clinic at the hospital.  Love the team feeling and following up on patients.  The one she sent me was so in need of care.  An elderly man with an infected hand.  Two weeks ago a thorn lodged between his fingers.  He went to a clinic that gave him three days of some antibiotic.  It was not nearly enough.  He now needs cleaning and IV antibiotics.  I'm hoping it's not down to the bone.  He had a very gentle, non-complaining disposition.
     I also had a precious encounter with a woman in the outpatient clinic.  She was about my age and pregnant.  She has several other children.  Her first husband died and her second one recently left her for another woman.  She has almost no emotional support around her and great financial needs.  She came in with minor physical complaints but as I wrote up a lab order slip, she started sharing much of her story.  I felt impressed I needed to pray with her.  I had no medicine to give to help all of the problems or enough money to make them go away.  Normally I would pray with the patient after they get back from lab as we finish the visit, but I felt like I should pray right then and not wait.  After we prayed, she was in tears.  We just sat together for a little bit.  Her comment was, "God cannot leave me even though others might." She composed herself after a few minutes and went to lab.  By the time she returned, I was swamped with 2 different patients plus family members in the room--mild chaos.  I wrote a prescription for her in the middle of the melee and sent her on her way.  So glad I had the opportunity to pray with her first with plenty of time otherwise the opportunity would have been lost.
     On the lighter side,  I was asked if I wanted to help milk the cows at Fringilla on Thursday (has been a goal of mine).  The milking parlor is right next to the clinic.  I had to decline because I was the only one in the clinic and couldn't leave it empty (and open sandals and a light colored skirt).  Next time!  I'll make Uncle Dan and David and Mark proud.  (my Wisconsin dairy farming cousins)