A Difficult Day

Yesterday was a difficult day.  I really felt overwhelmed but in the end, I rested in the Lord's strength and He guided me through.

It began well, I had a beautiful walk around the property before sunrise.  Spotting tracks and seeing the sun pop up over the horizon one more time.  I am reminded every morning of Psalm 37:3, "Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness."  The Lord is always faithful, we only must trust in Him.

Big Bird!

The chickens got out of the coop.  Five of us girls chased the around the yard until we caught all 10 again and put them up.

Robin caught and carried her first chickens

While I was eating lunch is when things got scary.  Beatrace came to tell me that three of our kids had come home from school because they were sick.  I went to check tempertures.  98.5, 102.3 and 101.7.  Then I remembered that Baby Brenda had been running a fever that morning.  She was lying in the floor.  The thermometer read 105.7!  We usually add a degree because it seems to run low on the readings!  That meant it was closer to 106 degrees.  She was lying there, listless and asleep.  At that moment I was really wishing that I had Dr. Brenda or Kim (an RN), but both were traveling and not available for even a phone call.

I piled Baby Brenda, Joyce (Brenda's mom), Ivan, Margaret and Robin into the car and headed to the clinic in Busia.

We checked in with the front nurse and then saw the doctor, one by one.  He ordered malaria tests for all and added a Typhoid test for Margaret who had also had stomach issues.

Jessica, Margaret, Ivan, Robin

They ran tests for malaria.  The lab tech read Brenda's and told me, "She has to go back to see the doctor immediately.  She cannot wait!"

The doctor immediately gave her a rectal paracetamol for her fever and began an IV.  She had severe malaria.  The grade the severity here by a +.  One +, is a few parasites on the slide, two + are more and three + is really bad.  Brenda had 3+.

Ivan also had 3+.  The admitted him as well.  Margaret who had been wandering around in a daze, very much afraid tested positive for malaria (1+) and Typhoid Fever.  The doctor decided to send Margaret home with oral meds.

We took Ivan and Baby Brenda to their rooms.  For some reason they put them in private rooms, which I was very thankful for.  They gave us the sheets and we made the beds up and the nurse came in with the IV Quinine.  Brenda was still not really responding.

Baby Brenda

Robin decided to stay the night with Ivan if his parents could not come.  I left with Margaret to take her home so she could rest.  I put her in the front seat with me so I could see her since it was just the two of us for the 30 minute ride back.  As soon as the car moved she grabbed my hand in fear.  I held her hand the whole time and sang hymns to her.  I could feel her grip loosen as I sang.  (It was not my singing that calmed her, but the Word of God.)  I later found out it was her first time to ever ride in a car!

Ivan

We called Ivan's parents to let them know he was at the clinic.  When he heard they were coming, he began crying.  He was afraid we would not come back to get him the next day, that he would have to go back and live with his parents again.  (I thought about it later and I think he sees and understands that they are not able to care for him well.  He recognizes that he eats everyday, goes to school and is safe with us.  Three things he did not have at home.)  We assured him that we would come back and get him.  I went back and picked up Robin from the clinic, leaving Ivan with his mother.

We returned today.  Ivan was already sitting outside, ready to go home. He was feeling much better.  Baby Brenda was still very weak, but she was responding now and looking around.  We are waiting until later today to see if they release her or not.

I saw God's hand of protection on us all day yesterday. From the two trips to Busia, to the doctor and medicine being available.  It was a very difficult day, but the Lord led me through.