Well what a long time since I blogged, quite mad at myself because now I have to try and think of everything thats happened so I will try and keep things short and simple! It has been quite a rollercoaster as usual.
Our little girl who had been in hospital is doing very well, making progress every week little by little, she can almost poke her tounge out a little and is starting to hold her head up for longer. Still a long way to go, shockingly there has been no follow up appointments or explanation from the hospitals so we must just keep at it.
At the end of November the other couple who are volunteers, Herrie and Hans travelled home to Holand for one week as they have just become grandparents! SO that was lovely news for them. it meant a tough week for me and Maggie looking after all the children but of course you just have to keep yourself focused on what needs doing.
And on the 1st of December Kirstin actually come home from Belgium, she had a problem trying to find a family so after about 6 weeks in Belgium she decided it was best to come home and find work here. It was unfortunate for her but nice for us girls to have some more company! Though she is not on shift like us volunteers, she gives the odd help to feed a baby etc.
That sunday Mark and Chris were going, with the four older boys, on holiday. They have all just finished their school year and have 6 weeks off, exams all finished, and they havent managed to have a holiday in I think they said 6 years or something! They left on sunday and were staying 4 nights.
Although it was lovely for them it meant a heck of a busy time for us, luckily Kirstin did night duty every evening and me and Maggie did back-up 2 nights each. Then Herrie did the cooking and helped in the day, and we had another girl come and help called Briony, her sister also came down for 2 nights to help. It was a non-stop week.
Sadly I have some very bad news to report though. On the sunday evening Kirstin noticed our premature babies breathing was really fast and so we took him to the clinic the next day. They thought it was just very mild pnuemonia so gave him some medicines and vitamins for us to give him. But that evening we were all incredibly worried because he was breathing around 60bpm and not drinking his bottles much, maybe 40ml ervy 4 hours or so. So then we were worried he may start becoming dehydrated and keep getting worse.
That evening we took him to Jubilee Hospital, they carried out some tests but said the same as the clinic and told us to carry on using the medicines, if he didnt improve in 4 days time to bring him back. Considering he was 3 months premature, and 4 months old yet only weighed 4kg, we were till very on edge.
By wednesday evening I was with him the whole night and there was still no improvements. He was on my chest for about 4 hours and his breathing was horrific, 100bpm. I was on night duty with Kirstin and was going to just keep him on my chest all night to monitor him, yet I knew this was not right. So we called Hans to take him to hospital again.
He was admitted overnight, and when we visited him thursday he had a very slight improvments. Chris then arrived home on thursday evening and I went with her on fridya to visit him. (It was really sad for me, as it brought back memories of when i brought Oarabile into hospital) He had made great progress, he was just on a drip and being fed from a cup. Saturday he was also visited and was doing well, the nurses were hoping he would be home with us by monday.
Sunday no-one was able to go visit him, as it was just such a busy day yet monday morning at 11.30am Chris got a phonecall to say they wanted to move him to another hospital (the same hospital Oarabile was transferred to also) and that he had massively deteriorated. Chris was in Pretoria but went straight to hospital, and considering it was emergency it took them 3 hours to get an abulance! He was put in an incubater, with breathing tubes, feeding tubes, everything.
Yesterday was my day off and I was so blessed to be able to go with Chris to see him. He is in the Adult Intensive Care Unit. Well, what can I say. A very emotional time. He was in the adults ICU for some reason, we can only assume maybe he will be cared for better there than the children unit, maybe better equipment and staffing. So he is in a room with 5 other grown men. I was looking around dreading to think how they all got here. And our little prem baby looked so tiny on this huge bed, with 6 or 7 different tubes. They were even giving him blood we could see.
But all of a sudden, the staff gathered around and started to sing, the most beautiful harmonious African song, and then held hands and prayed. Would you ever see that in England?
There is no improvements with our little man, we are just hoping he gets better and better with all the tubes he is on etc. A very emotional time.
Then the other thing that happened on monday - the two year old boy that went back to his family in October, has now been brought back. The mother has disappeared, and the faily have heard nothing, she has a history of running away with men so we assume she has just run away again and left her poor son. The aunties and famliy are not willing to take care of him, so after just 2 months he is back! Its horrific. He is the most gorgeous little boy, and he has also changed a lot. It's so hard trying to get him back into the routine of things here, he is incredibly naughty now and demands all your attention, he's obviously used to being the children. He has also lost a lot of weight which is worrying.
Now Im not sure who knows about my visa situation but I had trouble getting it extended. It actually meant me and Mark taking a little road trip! We travelled to Botswana to the border crossing at Martin's Drift on 23rd November. It was wicked, we drove through all the mountains and it was beautiful. We also drove through some of the most desolate places, many little townships where people live in little shacks. Saw some horrific sights, but also some beautiful sights. When we stayed the night in Botswana, we stayed at a lodge and had a nice braai in the evening, and even had a hippo laid on the embankment on the river, just in front of our lodge! And the next morning were awakened by monkeys at the window and climbing the roof!
It was about a 6 hour drive to the border, and back home took a little less, but had to stop for food etc. but it meant my visa is now sorted till my flight in January. But yesterday I went again to Home Affairs to see if I could extend it a further couple of months. Eurgh it was a drag, its like standing in a sauna, no proper lights, the smallest stingy room, waiting in a queue for almost 3 hours. Had to see the lady then go and queue to pay the fee at a different counter then go back to the original lady to show her the reciept, only to find out I dont know if it will be accepted or rejected, I must go back in 30 days.
So Im a little confused because they took the money etc. and if I am staying I must change my flight, yet there is still a change it could be rejected for whatever reason so will have to make a decision on whether to change my flight or not yet.
Today Hans and Herrie have left Tsepho Ya Bana, so now we are jsut myself and Maggie till after Christmas when we get a new girl coming on 29th December. But Maggie is actually going on holiday with her family on Boxing Day so I will actually be alone for 4-5 days..... HELP!!! Hopefully Briony may be coming up, and assuming Kirstin doesnt have a job by then she will most likely help also.
Anyways, best be off now. Its 2 of our boys birthdays today - one has turned 1 years of age and one has turned 4!!!
Speak to you all soon xxx
This I wrote yesterday, but we had no internet again due to huge storms so Im uploading this a day late. But it also means I can update on further news about our little premature baby.
The nurse caleld this morning to say that there are no improvements, his heart gave in twice (yesterday and this morning) and they had to resucitate him both times. The nurse did not sound very hopeful, awe are expecting the worst and it is such a horrific time. I keep looking at his cot, and his bottles that are sterilised ready to make a bottle for him, and his tiny premature clothes and nappies. Every time Chris' phone rings we are all on edge.
And even worse, the mum and dad were called by the social worker to have a meeting to explain to them that their child is extremely sick and fighting for his life.... the parents never even showed up.
All we can do is pray, and we place his life in the Lord's hand. His will be done x
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