Back to Hospital

My faith in the Ethiopian medical system was somewhat tarnished after a curious anecdote from Miss J who, after a CT scan, was informed she only had one kidney. She doesn’t have any scars in that area so she was fairly confident she hasn’t been the victim of organ snatching whilst giving birth twice in Addis, but nonetheless, did seek confirmation that she did possess two in Jo’burg in South Africa. A somewhat more trustworthy source.

I had a fever-less night and feel a little more like my hardy self this morning. I take the Upper Primary assembly for a reminder of health and hygiene. Somewhat ironic as i am due back into the Landmark hospital for my blood-test results, to hand in my pus-filled stool sample results from the Korean Hospital, and, hopefully, get some much needed antibiotics.

Miss J is very much in motherly mode as she insists on escorting me. I am already feeling weaker, and although the air temperature has dropped a little, mine is clearly rising as we take a taxi uptown.

No fast-tracking for Mountain Man this time. Miss J might be good in Amharic but she isn’t the indomitable force of returnee Rasta, Mrs R, and it takes almost an hour to see Dr Getahun. Like myself, he doesn’t find the stool results of much interest. His diagnosis is “absolutely not typhus, but borderline typhoid.”

Whilst i hate to disappoint him, i inform him i had my last typhoid jab in 2010. He does seem a little disappointed, and informs me I need to stay at home and rest and return to the hospital for a third time on Friday. I have to urge him to give me some medication which will at least eleviate the stinky pus that is exuding from my vent and  something that will keep my temperature stable. Tinidazole is my new set of yellow pills – the Norfloxacin from the pharmacist just seemed a waste of Birr 22.

I am so tempted to call the school lawyer with my diagnosis. Make a general enquiry if i have a potential lawsuit against the small fat twat Ato S. Lawsuits are rampant here, not least against our school.

I invited my “colleagues” from Senior Management Team for our weekly meeting at my campus tomorrow morning, so i really gotta attend. If they expect my gorgeous children to come into my disease ridden, rat-infested school, so can they. Indeed, i have arranged the meeting in Ashenafi’s classroom – where our first official  double case of “extreme” typhus and typhoid was 100% confirmed.

I am tempted to line all my children up in the playground to make a welcoming party for Ato S. They are all very affectionate and i expect hugs all round.