Our First Trip To The Doctor

Today we knew we had to get up early.  We wanted to take Ibssa to the doctor to get his ear checked out, and the growths on his face and near his eye.  Lee, the guest house manager, had told us there was a paediatric clinic just down the street from us.  She highly recommended the doctor there but said you should get there early to avoid a long wait.  It didn’t open until 8:30, so I thought I had lots of time….but I forgot we have become accustomed to Africa time.  Ibssa’s favourite meal of the day is breakfast.  He inhaled two packets of oatmeal and had a nutella toast.  Fruit has seemed to vanish from his likes now that he has his favourites always hanging around.  At least I was able to get a glass of mango juice in him.  It was time to get ready for our first doctor outing.  Paul had been up through the night not feeling well.  This morning he looked more pale than I have ever seen him in 27 years of marriage.  He skipped breakfast and decided to hang close to the washroom.  If anyone knows me than they know I have more stomach medicines than you can shake a stick at.  I loaded him up with antacid and immodium however he was still moving pretty slow.  Needless to say, it was 9:30 by the time we got to the doctor.

                We found the gate that said Betham childrens clinic.  It was very modest.  When we got inside there was a courtyard and 3 small buildings.  It looked like they had a mini hospital, a laboratory, and an office.  I so wanted to go into the laboratory…..but I didn’t.  There were children everywhere.  We barely could find a seat.  We registered at the desk and told them what Ibssa’s problem was.  They wrote us up and asked for 100 Birr ($5). Amazing huh! They took us to another room and weighed him and felt if he had a temperature.  They told us the wait was going to be an hour.  So we sat and waited, and waited, and waited.  Paul was able to go back to the guest house and purge and have a quick nap.  He returned still looking very sick.  I told him to go back and that I could handle this visit, but he refused.  After 3 hours, we finally got in.  Just like the emergency room at home. LOL.  The doctor checked him over thoroughly and was surprised that he didn’t have a respiratory issue coming from an orphanage.  It turns out that Ibssa has an ear infection. SURPRISE! And, the growths on his face are warts.  He gave us two separate prescriptions, one oral and some drops.  He said in Ethiopia that they don’t treat warts medically until they are 6 years old.  He said when we return to Canada to have them looked at there.  He was a little concerned about the one by his eye because it may be difficult to treat.  The pharmacy turned out to be a couple of blocks away.  I told Paul to head home and that Ibssa and I could do this but he insisted on coming.  We got to the pharmacy and I just handed them the prescription and they handed me the medicine.  No waiting!  It only cost about $8 in total for the two.

                We walked back to the guesthouse and Paul was pretty much done. He went to lay down while I heated up Ibssa’s leftover enjera from the night before.  I think he thought I was the best mom ever…enjera again!  It’s so cute, he knows that right after lunch that it is naptime and he went straight to his bed and handsignaled sleep.  Paul was already in the other bed so I tucked him in and away I went.  I had the afternoon to myself.  I did some emailing, had a coke and half a can of pringles……mmmmmm.  I decided to start making chili for supper.  Rob and Candy said that they may come for supper if everything goes ok for them today.  They had a doctors visit as well.  I got it all ready but really didn’t have the right spices.  As soon as Paul and Ibssa woke up, I decided to do my first solo outing for daily groceries.  It took me about an hour and I went to the grocery store, bakery, and pastry shop.  Now my dinner would be complete.  My chili would now taste like chili.

                Rob and Candy showed up about 5.  I had a pot of the cinnamon tea that they serve here brought up and we enjoyed that before dinner.  Ibssa was a little quiet at first.  I don’t think he likes sharing us with anyone else.  He is really the happiest when we are just hanging out here by ourselves.  I made potatoes and chili.  Ibssa passed on the potatoes but the rest of us dug into them and put the chili on top.  It was the best comfort food we have had in a long time.  Ephrem finally fell asleep just as we were finishing up our cake.  Candy laid him on our bed and it looked like we were going to be able to have a good visit.  Five minutes later their driver pulled up and they had to go.  How sad.  But now they know they can come over and will be able to manage Ephrem.  By this time it was Ibssa’s bed time.  I love how he knows exactly what to do.  Tonight I put a diaper on him.  We have had a wet bed every night but one.  I emailed the orphanage today to ask if he wore a diaper at night and guess what…he does.  That would have been a good chunk of knowledge to know from the beginning.  Oh well, we will continue with this until we get home and work on it later.  Paul decided to lay down with Ibssa.  He said to leave the dishes and we would do them together.  “Just finish your wine and I will be right out”…Ha!  I did all of the dishes and am writing this blog and he is still sleeping.  Poor guy.  If you know Paul he doesn’t get sick.  This is a rare occasion for him.  Sleep well honey!

Time to sign off.  I really want to go visit Shelley Green’s boys tomorrow.  She is a mother from Woodstock you runs the Mothers4Ethiopia project from Woodstock.  The sun was out most of today, here’s hoping it is a carbon copy tomorrow.

No pics today….you got me instead of Paul. LOL.

 

Chow

Karen