गेत्तिंग इन थे ग्रूवे Getting in the groove…

Wednesday July 7, 2008
Okay, well, the dinner show was good. Neeha and I requested bread to eat with our food vs. the ingera – we had just had enough of the ingera. It is hard to explain. My understanding is that ingera is a grain (though I really need to look it up) and it is somewhat fermented tasting, and a little sour, and very spongy – hmmm….white bread worked just fine. The dancing was great – they were traditional dances (and songs) from the different regions of the country. All around a good time.

Monday we headed back out to Kebe Tsehei and worked with Alex – who works as a PT here in country (he is Ethiopian). We got a list of what they needed (formula and medicine) and Neeha’s parents had given her some money to donate so she is buying formula with that and I will donate some medicines this week once I get the list. We then went out to this hospital that is for people with TB and Leprosy. It was like walking into an OT textbook! We visited the “shop” where the patients embroider, weave (on these huge looms), spin yarn (by hand), and use wax patterns to iron patterns onto the cotton cloth (woven downstairs) to then embroider….it was fascinating and amazing. The people were great – and talking about adaptive skills. I don’t think I have seen someone with literally ½ length fingers and thumb embroider. Wow….it definitely makes you appreciate things here.

Tuesday back to Foster. It was Neeha’s last day. Sure will miss her. It was great having her on the trip! We finished up with all the babies – she headed to town and I stayed and met with Michael (in country Gladney person) – he and I went over what they do for developmentals – and hooray! I have 16 of them in my hands to do! So, after I orient Mark (PT from PA) today I will start on those. So, Neeha got off okay, and Mark arrived okay. I had to flag him down from the window outside because we were still waiting in a line outside to get in! (you have to pay 3 birr to get into the airport and they were limiting the people going in at one time) – so that was pretty funny as I am waving to this white guy with a baseball hat and backpack (hoping it is mark, as I have no idea what he looked like) – but I was correct. We got him settled and oriented to our house. I owe him big time, as he brought roach motels for us (so our friends in the kitchen can have a vacation!) and some more Benadryl for me…I got some more bites last night and now have this huge nasty blister on my leg from one of the bites…So this morning I have made a gauze donut around it and covered it with my extra large band aid…so at least if it breaks open, it has something to absorb the mess and some antibiotic in the band aid…okay time to brush my teeth and head out to Foster. Hope you guys are doing well! Thanks to Kim and Jeff I can now get my comments from the blog – so thanks! They really make my day (I can’t view my blog I can only post) – that’s how they roll! …so keep them coming and thanks for following along! Okay – time for work…

Hi again - all is well another good day at Foster (now Wed. evening and getting to the internet)....bites are still blistered - Dr. Makeeas has switched me to Claritin and to use the cortisone cream at least two times daily - will make the switch to Claritin tonight - I have 10 of them, but think I can get more here at the pharmacy if it is needed!

Foster was great today - mark and I plowed through about 5 "developmentals" today; would've done more, but two kids were sleeping and one didn't know me/us yet....

Okay, heading home now - hope everyone has a great day!