memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Monday, October 13, 2014

Puppy Update and new development

I had such a long post about the Med-e-vac earlier that I didn't add a puppy update as promised on Ambrose' post.

Here they are:  day 25.

Twice a day I make oats porridge (called Uggi in Swahili) for the pups. Their first meal is at about 7.30 in the morning. The second is around 1pm.
 Here Princess "helps" the pups eat while a pup drinks from her!

After their breakfast we noticed that all the pups were huddling in the doorway of the hut. So we decided they should continue with their morning sleep until the sun warms their enclosure. 
Tummies full, the pups sleep in the hut for a couple of hours in the morning

I tend to forget that I have chores in the house. Instead I spend absolutely ages watching and photographing these cuties.
Aren't they just the sweetest ever?
 Sleeping just like a big dog, Mama! 

Princess isn't sleeping in the hut with the pups at night, which is working out well. Last week as soon as Michael opened the hut at 6.30am, Princess would hop inside and lie down for the pups to have a feed. Recently I've noticed that she's not going inside anymore. When we take the pups out for their uggi/oats porridge, she sits by and watches. Then they go back into the hut for their morning sleep. 
Over the weekend, I saw that she lay down for them to suckle while outside. Every so often she'd take a pup's head gently in her mouth and pull it away from her body

 Princess lies in the shade of a tree nearby still keeping an eye on her pups!
The pups spend their brief waking hours playing with each other
This is my pod - I found it! 
Ha-ha, I took it from you!
Let's sniff these interesting things...
Ah peek-a-boo!
I'm coming to get you!

There is just no end to their cuteness, is there?

I left this bit of news till last: On Friday when I accompanied several other ladies and Omary (our interpreter) to the school, I felt terrible. In fact when I got into the car, Marita said: "Jo, you look awful! ".  I sat through the presentation (which was late- Africa time!) and fortunately for me Omary did my whole talk. 

We arrived home at lunch time but Marita said she'd take me to the hospital for tests at 2. I phoned Dr Leonard at 1.45 and he said he was on his way back to the hospital. Marita collected me and left me at the entrance while she went to fill her car with fuel. After greeting the ladies in reception and asking after their families, (the one is Baraka, the blind boy's grandmother)  they handed me my file; I walked down the hospital corridor to Dr Leonard's rooms. The day before on the airstrip,  he'd joked with me, saying I see the reporter is here. 

That afternoon, I said to him, "Doctor, can you believe that I was right as rain yesterday; yet today I am in your surgery, ill?" So he said, yes, he can believe it because malaria and other tropical diseases have the nasty habit of attacking you without notice.  He sent me for blood tests at the lab. 

By now Marita had returned and came into the lab with me. (In Africa we all join in everything, even illness) We both greeted  Yasini, the young lab technician, who had been on leave. So we politely asked where he went on his break and asked after his family. Finally Yasini took my arm and searched for a vein, and Marita, sitting opposite me had to turn her head away! 

Yasini asked us to return in 45 minutes when the test results would be ready. Marita brought me home and said she'd pick me up at 3 again. I had time for a quick sandwich and cup of tea and then Marita arrived at my gate.

Once back at the hospital, I was handed my file with the test results inside. I took these to Dr Leonard's rooms, Marita in tow! He opened my file, looked at the lab report and said, "Jo, you have a bad bout of malaria with many parasites swimming in your bloodstream."

Because of the severity of the attack this time, he prescribed the anti-malarial injections - six - which are given over the course of five days. Marita, who'd never been in the hospital, walked to the women's ward with me and waited while the sister administered the first injection, which is a double dose. 

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, at 3.35 (you have to do this at the same time every day) Grant took me for my jabs. 

So here I am, on the fourth day of injections and still feeling very weak and ill. In fact as I publish this post now, I am retiring to my bed with a hot-water bottle and my ubiquitous glass of iced water beside me. 

Apologies for any typos; I just don't have the energy to edit my post! 





13 comments:

  1. Another malaria attack ? Poor you ! What a vicious disease !
    The puppies seem to grow each day, I think Princess slowly tries to get them away from feeding ! They probably got little teeth by now and that hurts !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh dear Jo, I can't imagine getting malaria as often as you do. Is there any way to prevent it? Some preventative measures that could be taken to minimize it? I vaguely remember that Grant was doing something differently (and never got ill) and that you were going to start doing it too. I think it may have been some kind of supplement. I do hope something can be done but more importantly, right now, I do hope you get better soon. Big hugs. xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. p.s. I forgot to mention that the pups are very cute and it is enjoyable watching them play, explore and develop. x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Take care of yourself. You have had this too often. Is it a new strain each time or relapses? Why doesn't Grant get it? Glad to hear you have such good health care to treat it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. so very sorry you are so ill. we will be waiting when you feel better, so take a few days off from posting. the puppies are beyond adorable... i would be out there every waking hour

    ReplyDelete
  6. The puppies are indeed the cutest ever!

    Oh dear, though, that you have Malaria! Sounds absolutely dreadful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Soory you are so ill, puppies 's princess are wonderfull;greeting from Belgium.
    http://louisette.eklablog.com/nuit-de-l-obscurite-mons-a112810380

    ReplyDelete
  8. i am so very sorry!!! gosh, what a terrible disease! hope you feel stronger, soon!

    and i thoroughly enjoy princess and her pups.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oodles of cuteness Jo!
    I am so sorry to hear about health and hope those injections will get you on the road to recovery!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, they're so cute!!!
    They remind me of my puppies a long time ago.....
    Have a nice week Jo
    Hugs
    Bia
    www.biaviagemambiental.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. when I was in Primary school, our dog gave birth to 9 puppies.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh wow, Jo! I am so sorry you have Malaria again.. You need to take some time off and take good care of yourself..I always enjoy your puppy photos, thanks for sharing..

    I hope you feel better soon, have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So sorry to hear this nasty Malaria has you in the grips again. May the injections do the trick. Like us all, I love watching the puppies grow and also think Princess is weaning them off. Be well, and get rest my friend.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo