Ever had one of those shockingly bad days? Do you ever feel like huddling in the corner afterwards, wishing away the thoughts that just won't go? I think of people who deal with suffering and hardship as a job and on daily bases, and how they learn not to take the events of the day home with them at night... How???
I arrived at work at about 9. Michael came up to me to announce that the cops came again.. sigh. This time Maria beat them to it and hid her stuff just before they came. Failing to torture her in the usual way of taking away her basic belongings - they took away the crate she sits on. It's almost comical - big men coming all the way to take away a poor woman's crate. Is this what we pay for with our taxes??? hey, don't bother catching real criminals or anything. Pick on the homeless people, why dontcha!!! AAAARRRRGH.
Ok so that blew over. For lunch we served cake which my brother donated to me, sandwiches and fruit. I met a new person, Olga. I will introduce her soon. She sits where Francina used to sit.
Michael got me to type out his letter for his agent who is taking his album, Bridge into the future, to Germany to try get sponsorship... I made Colleen type it. Serves her right for always being so nice.
Anyway. Thandi really wasn't looking good. Colleen has formed a genuine relationship with her and decided to take her to the local GP instead of missioning her all the way to a free clinic. At about 2 we took her through to try and see if anything can be done. Poor Thandi could barely walk. She was very light headed and had been throwing up all morning
The doctor is an absolutely amazing lady, who tried to make Thandi feel as reassured as possible. Considering her diagnosis - it wasn't easy.
She measured her heart beat and it was way too fast. It appears Thandi is having heart failure. The doctor put it down to her poor life style, nutrition etc. It's no wonder that at the age of only 53 Thandi looks so terribly old and worn. On top of that Thandi has Aids - or so I gather.
Half way through the appointment Thandi's nose started bleeding like a stream. I felt torn between wanting to help and being afraid of touching her blood. Aids is scary like that. I could pratically see the word 'desease' in front of me. We eventually managed to stop the nose bleed with an icepack. It was all in all very scary.
The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics and some heart tablets. I will get the names from Colleen tomorrow. The total cost of the experience was R140, which isn't so bad.
We took Thandi back. She looked so worn out, it broke my heart. Colleen is keeping the medicine for her so that it doesn't get taken from her, like everything else. We will keep telling ourselves that everything will be better now, when the truth is: The woman with a failing heart is going back out into the street. This is by no means a sustainable lifestyle and if she doesn't make it - it will not be a dignified death.
Did my day end there? No. My new friend Olga is in a lot of pain. It's in the lower part of her stomach, on the right and spreading all around her body. She was lying on the ground and crying from the pain. Her boyfriend came and fetched her things from me. He didn't speak much English and looked super worried. I didn't even know how to start helping her. I gave her some of my painkillers - 2 for now and 2 for later. I left her my number in case it got worse. I also left my number with the other ladies, who promised to look after her. I am dreading going back tomorrow to find out that the problem has not passed. If she is not better - I am guessing we will have to take her somewhere.
I have a very bad back. I know what it's like to be in such excruciating pain that all you can do is lie there and cry. I don't however know what it's like not to have the comfort of your own bed, or access to medical care, or any of the basic comforts one should have in a situation like this.
It's scary how bad things are getting in that street. I am not good with feeling helpless. I know that with time we can generate enough interest in these people and change some things. I look forward to that time. Unfortunately when you look closely at the individual cases at hand - Time isn't necessarily a luxury we can afford.
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