Red Cross Hospital

On Monday, during ward rounds at Themba Care, we discussed one of our patients who is 2 years old and has been in the hospital for 3 weeks now. His mother works and she has visited a couple of times (or so she says) but he has essentially been up there alone. The doctor said that she would really like it if we were able to make it a priority to visit him because as you can imagine, being in a hospital is never fun...especially when you are still a baby....and here babies/young children who are in the hospital have their needs met yes, but there is nobody to play with them and love on them if their families are not able to be there.

Well, since I've been there long enough to know him I was chosen to go! I was really excited to go spend the day with him but also pretty nervous. The driver for Themba Care was going to drop me off and then I was just supposed to phone them when I was ready to be picked up. Now remember...this is still a foreign country...and I don't have a cell phone while I'm here...and the only number I had on me was for Themba Care. Me being the worrier that I can be at times I was sure that for some reason the hospital wouldn't allow me to use their phone or the driver would get in a wreck and I would be left there!! Yes, I do come up with some fantastic "what ifs" at times. :-)

The driver ended up actually walking me up to the floor Elethu was on and said he would pick me up in the same place. PHEW! That was a relief...I didn't have to navigate my way around a hospital!

Once I was there I was able to speak to Elethu's doctor and find out was was wrong. It ends up he has a respiratory virus that sounds similar to what we would call RSV...where it's very dangerous for babies but if an adult were to catch it we would simply get a runny nose. So...this virus usually takes about 6 weeks to get out of the system and since he is HIV positive it can obviously take even longer than that. So they'll test him every week until the virus is gone and then he is free to go back to Themba Care.

He is being kept in quarantine with one other little friend who has the same virus but he looks great! His nurse was telling me that he is a very naughty baby! haha I spent a little over three hours up there with him...just playing with him as best I could in his little room...fed him lunch...held him while he took a nap...just loved on him and tried to get him enough attention until the Themba Care doctor went to see him on Wednesday.

It was one of the best days I've had I think. Gave him some attention that he was in desperate need of at this point and I was able to take in A TON while I was up at the hospital. The walls are all basically huge windows so I easily see into the surrounding rooms which all for the most part held 6 babies/children. I saw how the children's hospital runs in South Africa....an experience I'll always remember.

PS...I snuck these pictures because I wasn't sure if I would be allowed to take any but I HAD to take some!!!! :-)

Elethu's roomie...a one year old baby girl

The naughty Elethu

Puttin' on the Ritz

Last night, Angie, Tiffaney, and I all went with Nita into Cape Town for a fundraising dinner. Nita did not know much about the organization except they were a group that worked with families in the community. Like their mission was to make the family bond strong! Well, we arrived to the hotel that the event was to take place and found the restraunt, told the man that we were there for the event....and he told us that it had gotten POSTPONED!!

We had all gotten dressed and drove into Cape Town and NOOOOOO event! :-( The night was not lost though. Nita said that we were just going to have to find someplace to go now. haha So we went out to the car and Nita decided that we were going to try the Ritz. She said you normally have to get reservations but we were earlier in the night so maybe we could get in.

The Ritz is a hotel and on the top floor there is a revolving restraunt! So we went up to the top and we were able to get a table!! The view was so amazing! We saw the ocean, the amazing stadium that was built for the world cup....I ate delicious duck with butternut and sweet potato...and then topped it off with a fruit kebob that was flambed at the table! Mmmmm mmmm GOOD! Oh, and did I mention that there was live piano music while we ate??

It turned out to be an amazing night of us getting to enjoy delicous food, amazing views, and a great time spending time together! I FELT SOOOOOO SOOOOOO SPOILED!

My dinner!!

My dessert being prepared!!!

Waka Waka

AHHHHH! Today I was at Graceland and it was so much fun! The children have graduation in November...and at their graduations they put on a show for all of the parents. This year their program is full of songs about transportation like "the wheels on the bus", with motions and everything! This week is technically a holiday for schools but the children are coming until 12 everyday to start practing for their graduation. Needless to say...it is adorable and I can't imagine how cute it will be after they have practiced for so long and add props and everyhing. (Pretty sad I wont be here to see it)

However, the best part is that they are doing the Waka Waka dance as their finale! The Waka Waka is a song that Shakira wrote for the World Cup and there is a dance that goes to it...needless to say...it became extremely popular here. I watched as the children practiced today and then joined in...I couldn't resist. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! The graceland staff are all joining the kids for the dance and it is seriously too stinkin cute! I actually went into a mini-depression that I wont be able to see the finished product..because even just a couple of days into learning it...it's adorable...and the kids are loving it.

So here is the plan...I've decided that I will master the Waka Waka before I come home and then I will teach it to everyone back home and we can have a huge Waka Waka dance party...it will be amazing....I know it. :-)

You can click on the link to check out the Waka Waka if you haven't heard/seen it before...this video just has small chunks of the dance but you'll get the picture....it's pretty simple but sooooo much fun!

WAKA WAKA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGrfLQVVI8A

Future Graceland Graduates Practicing the Waka Waka

Smile Even Though

How many of us would be able to walk around without teeth because they had rotted out, with shoes that were barely being held together, stinky because we rarely took baths, and coming from a home where our mother is an alcoholic and still be able to brighten peoples day? I know for myself I could let a day turn sour just because "I don't feel pretty today". To be completely honest I could let something that trivial in life ruin my day at times and in the process lose any care I could have in regards to the people around me. Because I have a day where I don't feel pretty I'll become completely focused on ME and lose all patience if someone dares to ask me to do something I don't feel like doing.

You know what though? NOT FRANKIE! Frankie is a 5 year old little boy at Graceland Creche and he falls into each of the categories I described above. His mouth holds 4 molars that are brown and black, but surprisingly have not fallen out like the rest of his teeth yet....healthy children typically lose their teeth because their 'adult teeth' are getting ready to come in but rambunctious Frankie lost his because they were rotten. Frankie's shoes are really almost pointless because they are so full of holes and too small at that. It's safe to say that Frankie doesn't get a bath regularly....you can tell just by looking at him....and of course factoring in that he comes from a home where alcohol very negatively affects his mom...it's really not surprising that he seems...neglected...to put it nicely.

You know what though? Frankie without fail has a big toothless smile to offer you as soon as he sees you and a big hug from him is never far behind that smile. He is one of the children who have blessed me so much. He makes me feel like my time here in South Africa, away from my family, friends, and life, is worth it.

Even though people can look at him and understandably feel sad for how he is growing up, Frankie touches the hearts of every person who walks onto the premises of Graceland Creche. His obvious lack when it comes to basic healthcare and attention at home does not keep him from dishin out love through his hugs and smiles. When I think about Frankie I can't help but re-think the way I live my life....the way I allow the small things that are just simply part of life ruin my day.

I came to South Africa with the intentions of loving on kids like Frankie...and of course I've done that...and of course I knew that in the process of loving on Frankie I would benefit also....but it really is amazing how much this little guy has impacted me since I've been here. How much his attitude.... which I've decided is best described by the phrase "smile even though" has made me really look at how I approach frustrating days. I've come to the conclusion that if Frankie can smile even when he has no teeth.....even when he smells and is just plain dirty....even when he doesn't get the attention and love that every 5 year old deserves from their mommy...even when a sock would provide more protection than his shoes do.....then surely I can smile even when I have a day where I don't feel pretty....don't feel like going to work...

Just smile....bet you'll be surprised how smiling...even if forced at first can change your day.

Frankie :-)

Progress

One of the best parts of being at Themba Care is seeing the progress that each child makes! Phumlani is 10 and is the oldest child at Themba Care right now...and really probably the one with the largest variety of health problems.

When he first came he couldn't really even walk much less communicate. He has several health problems ranging from having seizures which have left him almost like an old arthritic man, having teeth that are basically rotted out, and recently finding out he was deaf...just to name three of a long list of ''problems". It is so amazing the progress he had made and continues to make though...even since I have been here.

It goes to show you how much nurture really does come into play...give a child the attention and CHANCE to be better than they are and more often than not they will blow you away with what they do.

I believe the Occupational Therapist says that he has been tested to be about a 3-4 year old level. Since being at Themba Care he has gotten very steady on his feet and walks well even on the really uneven surfaces outside....he feeds himself (although he does try to con people into feeding him because he can be lazy)....he has learned to communicate mainly by pointing and such....learned how to use the toilet instead of being in a diaper...how to throw balls...build blocks....and there is so much more.

Today I was doing some computer work with Angie and Eva comes through the hall with Phumlani to take him outside for a walk. When he was walking by I said "Oh, are you going outside Phumlani?", and he smiled and then leaned forward and planted a big kiss on my cheek and emphasized it with a big ol' "MUAH!!"...then he leaned over to Angie and did the same thing..it was adorable....you can see why he steals everyone's heart.

Then after the Creche kids came back we had our small group time with them and Eva was drawing with him and he usually draws circles in lines across the paper...Eva drew a smiley face and he copied her....and added legs to his! May not seem huge but it was the first time he has ever done that....he continues to prove daily that he is smarter than people have given him credit for...he may not be able to talk like other kids his age but he is a smart boy and given the chance he is going to continue to blow us away. We were talking about him and the people he drew on our way home and I'm pretty sure we were all holding back tears...it was just so exciting to see him make more progress.

It is a little hard to see his people but the ones in blue are what he drew and he was so proud of himself and kept drawing them over and over again....he will definitely be one I miss when I come home.

The things that feel like home...

It's funny the things that make me feel all warm and cozy like I'm at home! Angie and I went to see a movie Saturday night and it was awesome!

We saw Step Up 3..so yes it was an American movie...it was different though because when you buy your ticket you actually pick a seat...so there are assigned seats (and I actually was a fan of that..we should start doing that in the good ol' U.S.).

We got popcorn....but here you pick a flavor and so we had sour cream and onion popcorn and that was an experience..not too bad but do like my good ol' butter popcorn better.

But, what REALLY made it feel like home was a FOUNTAIN DRINK!!! Ahhhhh! Yes, they had fountain drinks....and I was sooooooooo excited! They have coke and stuff here but always in a can or a bottle....not gonna find fountain drink most places. But you seriously do not understand how AMAZING it was to drink from a cup with a lid and a straw and ice and coke that came from a fountain...mmm mmmm GOOD!

Oh yes, I do believe I will need to go to one more movie here before I go home...maybe try a different flavor of popcorn...but definitely get a good ol' fountain coke! :-)

I DID IT!

Ok, so a week after I arrived in Cape Town I had my first experience driving!!! And guess what? Driving on the left side of the road on the right side of the car really isn't too bad! I was pretty much scared out of my mind...I was more nervous about driving in Cape Town than I was about coming here! lol Oh, and of course to make it better I drove home from Graceland and on our way to Graceland that morning we literally passed a man who was covered up in the middle of the street because he had gotten hit by a car when trying to cross the street so I was pretty sure that I would run someone over! Thankfully, all has gone well and I've driven several times now and nobody has gotten ran over yet!

Pretty stoked after driving for the first time