After a really hard day and a virtually sleepless night on
call, Tanya is on her way to Banjul Airport. She is meeting her parents who fly
in today for a tw week holiday. God know, Tanya deserves a good break from the stress
and strain of day to day life in the Maternity Unit and Operating Theatre at
Bansang. As a young obstetric surgeon she has done so much, coped with so many
problems and worked so hard over the last 3 months, all with a smile and her
radiant good humour shining through.
She didn’t return from Theatre until about 5.30 this morning
and as I came into the house from my little bed on the verandah at about 6, she
was just making tea. A quick cuppa and I saw her up to the road with her bags
to catch the next Gella Gella. We didn’t have to wait long as no sooner had I
put her bag down, along it trundled. I hope she has a good journey but fear
sleep wont be easy on one of these overcrowded wrecks that pass for public
transport out here. You only have to look at the bent bodywork that they boast,
to get an idea of the standard of driving and of course now they have a nice
flat black-top for most of the way, they drive far, far faster than they are
used to or is safe. God Speed Tanya.
Whilst I don’t generally see a lot of Tanya as she is always
either working on at the SEN school on the internet, the houst seems strangely quiet
without her as I sit and eat breakfast, drink my 3rd cup of tea and
contemplate the day ahead…
Yesterday was very busy for me and I don’t see that changing
much today. I am now starting to push Morro along as there is still so much to
do inspite of the Herculean efforts of his Merry Men! It’s funny how people who struggle to do
their own jobs efficiently flock to watch ( and hinder) someone else work!
Yesterday I took the proverbial bull by the horns and got stuck in to a few of
the silly little jobs that were left to do in Malnutrition as I have told
everybody that I want it complete and ready for re-occupation today ! That
might be a tall order however as it will involve moving about 400 sq mts of
tiles that Morro has had stacked in there since they arrived from the coast
earlier in the week. If nothing else it might concentrate a few minds.
I have had a few comments that many of the pics I post here
show men either sitting in open windows or wheelbarrows. Let me assure you dear
readers that when Morro’s guys take a break it is because they have been
working very hard in intense heat since before 8 in the morning and most nights
they don’t finish until gone 6pm. Contrast that with the Maintenance Unit who
wander in to start brewing Ataya at anything from 8.30 to 9.30, nock off for breakfast
just after 10 and by 2pm are sitting around complaining that it is too hot to
do any more. More? I could point to a handful at least whose only movement
during the day is either to find a better shady spot in which to sleep or to
take more Ataya! On a more positive note my usual guys over there are working
well with you-know-who still keeping a conspicuous absence. Bunja has now not
only reinforced all the weak “charity” beds that are in use, but has also
managed to repair 9 out of the 10 that had been consigned to the scrap heap. Just
goes to show what can be done with a little leadership!!! Whilst Julday our plumber man is scurrying
around repairing things left right and centre and Musa is STILL up in the Mite
House loft try to get rid of the last of the Bat shit.
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