While the world is still turning ..

Somewhat of an unreal situation.
March 5th 2020
Malawi - James got sick!
The ride from Chipata to Mchinji - the first little village in Malawi was only 36km, but James felt so poorly, it took us a while to reach the Guest house “Greenhill Lodge” at the edge of town, down a cracked, bumpy old dirt road.
He collapsed into bed, moaning and groaning - his stomach and intestine in knots. He looked pail and thin and I thought he would just be sleeping and then be fine the next day and we can go...well, not so....
After 2 days of losing fluids and not being able to replace them, we wound up in the hospital for tests and a two litter IV which revived him for the rest of an almost spent day, but that night and the next day things got from bad to worse.
The fact that all of the tests came back negative was hopeful information, but: Four days into this fiasco...no improvement. Now I was really getting scared.
My confidence hit bottom in spite of the good doctor..actually two of them - one was consulted for a second opinion and said after checking James’s vitals: “This man is very strong and in good shape“
We both needed to hear that, but believing is another story....not quite convinced!
What ever bug invaded his body has now the upper hand!
This little village of Mchinji is granted with a government run hospital where we were seeking help for James....looks more like a refugee camp. In and around the buildings natives of all ages - infants, babies, kids...were waiting to be seen by a physician to help them. The colorful display of beautiful fabrics worn by women and their wrapped up babies lost their brilliance in this gloomy, dim setting on a sunny day.
The hallways, wards, bathrooms, treatment areas, “laboratories”, besides nurses desk, waiting areas, chairs, benches, dirty gurneys as beds occupied by visibly and audibly suffering patients, some of which looked like they just came out of surgery, are in unacceptable condition - nobody could possibly imagine it in their worst nightmares! My words fail me to describe all the details - just this one: looking out of a half broken window my gaze to the outside world was interrupted by dried up, crusted substances of obvious different sources- smeared glass with bugs trying to find a microscopic amount of moister. If I wasn’t so occupied with my desperation to find help for James, I would have either vomited on the spot or flee the premises screaming just after entering this suffer - fest of an area called a hospital.
Our doctor was apologetic, if not embarrassed, but he felt confident to help James and insisted to treat his Mzungu with extra fluids, electrolytes, glucose/dextrose in the midst of this hazardous environment.
This was the scenario of: “from the frying pan into the fire”
But we really didn’t have much of a choice and James was lying pillow-less for two hours with a needle stuck in his arm on one of those questionable gurneys.

Right from the beginning when we entered the premises, we got horrified looks from the locals and the second -opinion -doctor entered the room fully gloved and his nose and mouth masked for protection. Of course: Corona virus!
White -sick or not, but especially sick- people must have this virus! The first doc who checked James back in the lodge was educated enough to know that timing (we  left the US more than a year ago and haven’t traveled in any of the effected areas since) aside from James’ symptoms (stomach cramps and diarrhea) are proof enough that he couldn’t have attracted corona.
Our doc had to give his speech to all the different wards, letting staff and patients know we are not carrying the virus. Luckily he is respected enough, that he was believed and the whole place started relaxing.
James’s recovery took some patience - but he did regain his health after a few more days of Antibiotics and meds to calm his intestine.

The doctor, his wife in the middle and our host on the right.

It wasn’t the smartest move, but we cycled 120km to the capital of Malawi (Lilongwe) to stay with a German WarmShower Familie soon after he appeared strong enough.
One step (pedal) at a time and after only a days rest kept moving closer to Lake Malawi.
We are not in a hurry, but we keep moving ....