Jimmy's driver, Gabriel, drove me to the Cherangany Nursing Home...I know I just turned 49 but I'm not ready for this! He explained that this was the clinic, not a depository for old folks like me.
The bad news was...my camera battery was dead during my visit to the "nursing home." I was too embarrassed to pull out the massive iPad in the hospital ward...which is such a shame because there were SO MANY great opportunities for photo blogging!! Like the sign on the door of the bathroom (toilet) that said, "Please flash after using." So I'm imagining people in trench coats emerging from the bathroom...well, you get the idea. (For some reason, Kenyans often place an "a" where a "u" should be in written signage...not sure what that grammatical hick-up is all about.)
I checked in at the counter of with trusty Gabriel by my side...just in case the conversation went beyond "Habari ako?", "Mizuri sana" (How are you? Very well.) or "Jambo", "Si jambo", "Assante" (Hi there. Hi there back at you. Thank you.) But the young man at the counter was quite proficient in my language so we did just fine...I'm sure he asked a few more questions that the usual entry interview, but I was the only mzungu in the place so who could blame him.
I had a short wait on a bench with several other patients who, I must say, were very interested in my predicament. A lot of pointing at the ankle and "Pole, pole" (Sorry, sorry.) Especially young children pushed forward by their parents with some words of encouragement that included the word "mzungu" and that I imagined translated to something like "Touch the white person for good luck" because the children came up and sort of petted my arm. It was actually quite sweet. They were shocked when I tossed out my entry-level Swahili. It's so funny...their eyes get wide...something along the lines of "Why! This white lady is speaking my lingo!! Didn't expect that!"
The doctor was a lovely young woman. She didn't think it was broken but we decided on an xray just to make sure. I questioned her on the requirements to become a doctor in Kenya...NOT because I didn't trust her but because several of the kids in the orphanage dream of being a doctor. She was a "clinical doctor" which requires three years of university (no medical school required!!). A "medical doctor" studies for six years...again, no medical school, no night call, no poorly paid residency. Hmmm...of course, my entire visit (two consultations with three doctors, and an xray) cost 1000Ksh or about $12. Yikes!! Can't imagine the clinical doctor or the medical doctor are building second homes in Mombassa!
The Kenyan x-ray experience was...wow! what to say? Dangerous?! Comical?! Firstly, the 1952 George Jetson X-ray machine was a little freakly. Not to mention the "Danger Radiation" sign and symbol next to the OPEN door where all sorts of people were milling about. Oh! And no such thing as a lead apron in Kenya. Just hop up on the table, put your ankle on this decidely-non-digital plate, and let me step behind the wall while I ...buzzzzz... blast you and everyone in the vacinity with radiation. Yeah, I told my family..."Well, it's not broken but I may come home glowing."
The doctor...and two other doctors (who just stopped by to see the mzungu)...reviewed my x-ray and pronounced my ankle "not broken." (Yippee!!) The doctor then massaged my ankle, ouch!, and told me to have it massaged each night and morning. Now, honestly...who am I going to ask to massage my stinky, dirt stained foot twice a day? Really?! I'll have to handle that myself...wish me luck.
After that adventure, we headed back to orphanage...where I DID flash gang sings with my homie, Mike, and a few other little friends. The kids were all very sweet and very protective...bringing me chairs, one for me, one for my foot...wherever I went. :)
And, I also discovered, on my way to the bathroom in the old orphange, a very happy chicken resting comfortably in a pile of clothes in the pantry.
You know...I complain about cat fur around our house!! Can you imagine feathers and chicken poop mixed in with your clothes? This chicken was in the same spot later in the day so you know there were some droppings along side the socks and undies...and, who knows?, maybe even an egg! Never a dull moment when traveling in Kenya.
So more on hopefully-college-bound Newton Kioko...I conferred with Ken Sparks, co-ordinator of all things in the universe, via email. Ken is my new found friend from Colorado; he and a group from his church were in Kitale this summer and were a HUGE (cannot make those letters big enough) help in painting the Mighty Acorn orphanage. Anyway, another man on that trip, Gary, is headed to Kitale in the next week or so. I, quick, requested of Ken that he send SAT and ACT study guides with Gary so that Newton could get to work on his preparations. Ken also connected me with Newton's sponsors also Colorado...so they are now in the loop. I talked to Richard and Hellen about getting Newton's transcripts, which they say they have in the orphanage's files. And I also asked Newton to write a letter that I could share with US colleges to gauge interest. I asked him to express his interest in attending a US university and to tell his story...we'll see what he comes up with!! This is an opportunity with a lot of moving pieces so...one step at a time!
Tish
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