Kiwoko is still here and so am I, despite a months blog silence.

Sorry – its been pretty busy.

I was in Kampala a few weeks ago, and went to a cafe which I know has good internet access to upload a post. As I walked in I heard Theres Rory. Good to bump into friends in Kampala Ali + Jane from Liverpool days who I hadnt seen since November Im afraid that chat seemed better than blog!

Health can be very sexist. We have a steady stream of ladies (some as young as 12) with EMF (endomyocardial fibrosis) a poorly understood heart condition without a cure which completely disables, and usually eventually kills the sufferers. Meanwhile on male ward we have a boy a day who falls from a Mango tree its not that Ugandan boys are poor climbers but the big juicy mango at the end of the branch seems to completely eclipse their sense of being able to assess the strength of the branch to support them. (Mmm, perhaps a learning point for all of us there?) Some are fortunate and a few stitches later can go home, but head injuries, fractured wrists, and even spinal injuries are sadly not uncommon.

The wet season is in full swing with malaria, pneumonia, meningitis and diarrhoea aplenty. For the medics amongst us we also have a trickle of Nephrotic syndrome: brucellosis; SBE; opportunistic infections and big spleens, to keep the grey matter in order.

Dr Helen from Bristol, who has been helping us for 3 months in Paediatrics (and especially our special care baby unit) has gone home. She is greatly missed having played a significant clinical and staff development role. We are fairly stretched in numbers of doctors at present a point for prayer please especially that we would attract some more Ugandan doctors the lure of the city wins for most, rather than coming to work in a rural location like Kiwoko.

I managed my 35th birthday a few weeks ago and, thanks to Ken, not without the whole hospital staff singing happy birthday to myself (and Niall who shares the same birthday though in a different year!)

Today is monthly shop in Kampala day the cupboards have been getting somewhat bare. On the way home we hope to have a swim/sail on Lake Victoria! Sorry that uploading pictures isnt possible from here at present but possibly in a few months.

Hope youre keeping well. Thanks for reading and praying.

Rory