I went for a run yesterday morning around 5 am, which is not an unusual occurrence. I basically run along this flat strip (the only flat strip miles around) which is lined by a canopy of trees, often and cutely inhabited by friendly monkeys. They are little brats and often slip their little monkey hands into windows and steal fruit, but they are friendly. Except the handless monkey. Well, as I write this, I’m confused, because the infamous evil monkey is the handless, tailless monkey, but this one definitely had a tail. Usually if monkeys are frolicking around as I’m running, they run away as I approach. Yesterday morning, let’s call him... Buster. Yesterday morning as I approached, Buster started running towards me. Feeling a little put off and not feeling up to a game of chicken, I veered off to the side. Upon doing this, Buster veered off his path also, and continued to run towards me. Upon realizing he was chasing me, I screamed. Buster then hissed at me. I decided to not stick around to see what happens and turned and ran away. I looked back and noticed Buster was still chasing and hissing at me, but was much closer this time, like basically at my feet. I screamed again. Feeling the adrenaline, the question that consumed my mind in that moment was, “How do I fight a monkey?”. Should I kick? Should I punch? What will he do? Will he viciously scratch at my face? Of course this was all running through my mind within a matter of seconds. I just kept picturing a scene from Outbreak. (Remember that movie? Am I right?). After the mental fight scene and Outbreak, I saw a giant stick lying on the ground. This stick was massive. I’m not sure why I picked it up because I definitely wouldn’t have been able to effectively swing it. But it worked. I picked up the stick and off Buster went. It took me 0.2 seconds to decide to get the hell outta there.
Now onto a different sort of monkey...
In a very recent blog, I talked about Clearance. Okay, I talk about him a lot. But I said I was taking him to Acts clinic this week, which is a world-renowned clinic specializing in HIV/AIDS and particularly successful in paediatrics. I arranged with a friend of mine (Jonathan), who’s a doctor there, to examine him and get a second opinion. The previous clinic tested him, took his white blood cell count, and said it was too high to put him on ARVs. Further, they said they had to wait to treat his HIV before they could treat his cloudy, nearly-blinded eye. And that was the end of it. Frustrating. But I finally took him this morning. Because he’s a new patient there they had to test him again and open a new file. We then took him into the room for the test, which is basically a little prick on the finger (like diabetic people) and onto a litmus-like strip. As the nurse brought out the finger-pricker, Clearance started crying hysterically and fighting the nurse. He got up and ran out of the room. I chased after him and finally convinced him to go with me to see his care worker. As Elsie started taking him back to the room, he erupted again and ran away. Elsie chased after him and finally tracked him down and brought him back. A few more people came into the room and held him down as he kicked and screamed and cried and bit. It broke my heart. I cried so many times today. We finally pricked him and then proceeded to open a new file. We then did a general check, which resulted in another crying fit (myself included) and near escape. Then an X-ray and then the news. He has Tuberculosis which is really not a surprise to me since he’s had a cough for 2 years, but the frustrating thing is why the previous clinic did nothing! He has two months of TB treatment before he can go on ARVs. The treatment is so brutal and hard on the body and very rigorous. For a little guy who stays with his teenage sister and doesn’t consistently have food, the chance of defaulting is extremely high. We then had to take his blood (the worst fit of all, myself included). Jonathan also booked him into see an eye doctor. It was such a hard day. That poor little guy was so scared. Somehow he still loves me. When Jonathan asked if they are still friends, Clearance said no. When asked if he still loves me, he said “Ahey” ... Yes.
Last thing, I finally had my last mango test. I wasn’t convinced I was allergic to the whole mango... just the skin. Usually when I touch/eat mango skin, the swollen lips and itchy rash comes a couple days later. I ate a little bit in my smoothie this morning and noticed my lips swelling up a couple hours later and my ear itching and burning. Now I’m sitting in Khethiwe’s bed in an apparently hot room, wearing a bunny hug and sweat pants, shivering achy skin and also nursing a bit of a runny tummy (the South African polite way of saying diarrhea). It seems to get worse every time. I hereby declare to the world that I am officially allergic to the entire mango! And vow to not eat it as much.
Update on Dad... he’s doing great. I don’t want to say much because I’ve encouraged him to write in his journal, which he has been doing extensively and I’m going to have him post a blog as a special guest very soon. He’s currently on a hunt with Todd.
**Title of blog suggested by the British Cat
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