Coincidence?

It turns out that Joel did not have blepharitis. In fact, it was something more serious.

The way I found out was through an incredible coincidence.

On Wednesday morning, I set out to look for the eye cream we thought Joel needed, for blepharitis. Home school had to be postponed, the children farmed out to neighbours, while I went on foot with MAF friend Sue to search the chemist shops of Juba.

One hour and 6 pharmacies later, we returned to the MAF compound. Without the correct tube of ointment!

I resolved to email the Interhealth doctor in London and ask for advice: what should I do next? Andrew had taken Joel to see a local doctor on Tuesday evening, but this doctor had very little idea of what the problem was. Unfortunately, he could not really help us. It was hard to trust his advice to keep washing the eye with warm water, in the hopes that it would improve. By Wednesday morning, I knew that ongoing email advice from London was the best option.

However, when I opened my computer to type my email, I found an email from another Interhealth doctor I had met in London. Amazingly, she was in Juba for a couple of days, running a medical training course at a nearby rest-camp! Her colleague in London, with whom I had been communicating, had contacted her to ask if she was able to help us while she was in Juba. And yes, she was willing to look at Joel's eye for us! Fantastic! What brilliant timing!

Andrew was out flying and would not be back for several hours, so I asked various staff members and found a helpful MAF friend, Rob, willing to drive Joel and I to the nearby campsite at lunch time. Once again, kind neighbours looked after Esther and Ben back on the compound.

Rob, Joel and I arrived at "Afex" campsite in the overwhelming heat of  the South Sudanese midday. With relief, we entered the first tent, the Reception area. It was blissfully air-conditioned. The Receptionist, seated behind a smart desk, was helpful and efficient. I explained why we were there. She told us that the doctor was still busy in a training session, but she would let the doctor know we were there.

Despite being busy, Dr. Helen came straight out to see us. I cannot adequately express the relief I felt, seeing Helen again (in a rather different context from the modern Interhealth clinic in London where I last saw her!).
Now I felt that Joel was in capable hands.
Now I could get first-hand medical advice, from a doctor I trust.

After a couple of minutes of looking at Joel's eye and asking him a few questions, Helen asked if I would step outside so she could explain the situation. We stood on the shady veranda of the tented Reception area, the heat engulfing us as we stepped outside. Helen began by saying, "I don't want to frighten you, but this is actually quite serious. What Joel has is cellulitis and if he were in England, he would have been admitted to hospital 2 days ago, to be put on an IV drip to fight this cellulitis".

It was one of those moments when the temptation to cry began to work its way into my mind. But I resisted. This was not a moment to be weak! It was a moment to listen carefully and find out what I should do next. "Should I try to get Joel onto a flight to Nairobi, to go to hospital there?" I enquired. But it seemed it was too late for that. What was needed was a complete blasting of the germs in Joel's body by using antibiotics, as soon as we could, here in Juba. A double dose each day, three times a day, for seven days. I needed two different types of antibiotics. It was time to brave the pharmacies of Juba once again, in quest of amoxicillin and erythromycin syrup!

I thanked Helen. It was heartfelt. If she had not given up her time to see us, we would not have known the exact problem that was causing the discomfort around Joel's eye. Joel could have become very ill as the cellulitis spread.
If Helen had not been in Juba when we needed her medical expertise, we would not have known how important it was to treat him for the "periorbital cellulitis" that his little four year old body was battling.

Was this doctor being in Juba at the exact time we needed her help a coincidence? I think not. I think it was an amazing gift, a blessing in response to all those prayers which are said for our good health. You know who you are who pray for us. And we are so thankful for your time- and for those answered prayers.

We found the medicine (this time, it only took 3 pharmacies before we found the correct medicine!).
We started the treatment.
The improvement is amazing. We even bumped into Helen again on Thursday evening at a local restaurant; she was satisfied with the improvement in the condition of Joel's eye. This was another happy "coincidence"! Joel is still not 100% but he is definitely getting better. We will follow up on the doctor's advice to have his eyes checked by an optician when we next get to Nairobi in October, but for now, you can see the difference over the last few days...

Joel's eye photos

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