It’s been a strange week, and I haven’t been able to tell you about it as the internet at the hotel has been down, and probably won’t be fixed until after we leave. Which means – don’t expect another post for at least a week!
Now I’m in a place with free wifi, and it’s still trying to rain but I’m looking out into a yard filled with flowers – predominantly pansies and geraniums in all colours. I’m tempted to pick from a huge cherry tree overhanging the fence. We’re actually at the back of a petrol station but from here all we can hear are birds and the tapping on computer keys.
The weather took a nose dive Monday and was unseasonally cold and wet all week, but it’s due to get back to normal this coming week.
I came down with a bug on Monday, and while that came and went, I also managed to get tonsilitis. I’ll be fine – saw a doctor and bought the appropriate meds – but it was annoying not to be able to be 100% there with the kids, even when I was at the hospital. It meant that I sat with Nadia and Maria Cleopatra a lot, in their room. Nadia is actually 12 (not 16 like we originally thought) and paralysed from the neck down. She is only able to communicate in groans but she enjoyed watching Jennea’s ipad and being talked to (especially by her best friend and our teammate Kerri). Maria Cleopatra (Cleo) can’t communicate at all, except for a few smiles when she’s tickled. I managed to figure out how to feed her without her spitting it up again, so at least I achieved that this week!
Having tonsilitis also meant cancelling the Transylvania trip. In the long run I think that’s ok – we need to conserve our energy for the coming week. Friday night we said farewell to half our team: Jennea (my absolutely awesome roommate!), Kerri and Krista. This means that there’s now only myself, Terri and Emily to look after 13 kids. That might not sound like much, but all of these kids are special needs, some very active. I don’t think Nadia and Cleo will get much of a look in this week, poor things. :\
Tonight there’s going to be a wedding at the hotel I’m staying at so I might creep down later and watch them dance! Jennea and I caught some traditional singing and dancing on tv but it’s not quite the same thing!
Ask me any questions you have and I’ll answer them in the next blog. Meanwhile, here’s a picture of the Children’s hospital where the clinic is (the clinic has some rooms on the 3rd floor).
