Saturday 26 July 2014

Good news for Mama and Papa

Today, a personal message from Mama:
Thank you to everyone who has made a very difficult time for Dave and I so much easier.
You have all been so very kind and generous in  many different ways.  The help was greatly needed and truly appreciated.
 We are now settled in a lovely apartment in Poulton le Fylde, with everything we need.
Auntie Libby worked so hard to coordinate everything even to the lovely sunny weather.
 I slipped in our kitchen, on some water, at home on eight weeks ago and fractured my leg in five places. I was operated on in Mombasa Hospital and told not to put any weight on it for at least eight weeks. 
Jo Reid a lovely friend of ours works with orthopaedic consultant, Mr Steve Mannion, who last year had the very difficult job of  replacing my hip, one that had also been operated on as a emergency Mombasa in 2010.
 Mr Mannion emailed and asked to see the x-rays, he immediately called me and said I must return to England asap. 
We arrived last Friday and I saw Mr Mannion on Wednesday. He did new x-rays and said the fractures do seem to be healing and that I could now walk with crutches on a toe touching basis. 
What a fantastic relief I was expecting yet another operation!
Although I am not yet out of the woods, Mr Mannion said if the plate that has been inserted in my leg fails in these early stages of weight bearing I am here for him to deal with the situation. 
If I was in Kenya and the plate failed  there would be nothing they could do, he said.
It has been an extremely worrying time for us, and has certainly taken its toll. My Dave is, as always, amazing, but even he thinks this is just a step too far..... even for me!!
That is why all the love help and support we feel around us has been, and is, so important.
It was so hard to leave our lovely family, but we explained that Mama and Papa needed to return to the UK to raise funds and for Mama to see a special Doctor to make her leg well again. The Kidz loved Mama in the wheelchair, taking it in turns to push  and spin me around.
I have been dizzy for weeks now!! 
Our very special David soon realised if he ran at the side Mama would scoop him up for a ride, and if Linus was on the pushing team  it would be at great speed!
I  would disappear into the atrium with Dave’s voice ringing in my ears , SLOW DOWN !!
It is a bad time for Kenya at present with the threat of terrorism everywhere.
With few tourists everyone is really struggling. Hotels have no guests so no work for the local people
Visitors, sponsors and volunteers, who would have been in touch asking what we needed for them to bring, are no longer asking as they are unable to travel. 
So where people would arrive with suitcases full of crocs, knickers, socks, leggings etc we are having to try and source everything ourselves. 
Christmas will soon be upon us and with 84 children waiting for Santa we need to plan and raise funds. Not forgetting the 84 birthdays every year. 
As people are unemployed, parents  will not be able to afford to send their children to our schools, where teachers still need to be paid 
I cannot deny I am worried, extremely worried.
It has been lovely to see and hear from so many friends. We are here if anyone wants to talk to us or visit, we will be delighted to see each and every one of you. 
Thank you again for truly caring about us and the Happy House Family xx