Sun and Cherry Plum Sodas!

Sunday 15th August 2010

So, I’ve been here a week now! In some ways it seems much longer, as over the past few days I have really settled in. In the end we didn’t go to Zomba plateau hiking yesterday as Sheila is feeling ill, with a fever on Friday, and another today, although none yesterday. She had a negative test for malaria yesterday morning but her symptoms do seem to suggest malaria. Please pray that she recovers quickly and that a further blood film tomorrow will confirm either way what the problem is so she can be treated effectively.

We did however manage to get into Blantyre city for a short wonder, which was fun. On the way into Blantyre there is an art gallery and cafe run by one of Sheila’s physio patients, so we stopped there for a light lunch and a look around – I am definitely going back there probably several times for food, proper coffee and to buy lots of local art and craft work – it’s the kind of place I could spend hours in! When we got into town we went to the fruit and veg market and also further on there is a wood craft market. The sellers tried very hard to swindle us out of extortionate ampounts of money but we bargained quite well for a few things. We plan to go to Zomba next Saturday instead – pray for good weather, good health and safe travel :-)

Last night we went to Emma and Becky's house for food and film! Emma is a physio who did her elective at Beit CURE and has now finished her university degree. Her parents are Salvation army missionaries here. Becky is her older sister who is a 4th year medical studant at Leicester Uni who was here for a few weeks and went back earlier today – hence the dinner party last night. We made fajitas and had cherry plum floats for pudding! (this is icecream spooned into a glass with the fizzy pop poured over – we used the unique ‘cherry plum soda’ that you can only get here – it is a fizzy drink flavoured with – you guessed it – cherry and plum! Yummy) I’m reckoning you could get a similar effect with cherry coke :-)

Friday at work was quite tame – a short ward round where we discharged most of our patients who had surgery on the Tuesday and then teaching – which consisted of Dr Maina (Sam the Kenyhan doctor) and Dr Harrison (the big boss) quizzing me and Dr Leonard Banza (a Malawian resident) on various X-rays. I did alright but would have much preferred the case Leonard was quizzed about as I knew all the answers! It was constructive quizzing and much nicer than I’ve had in the past!

TTFN

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