UPDATE WEDNESDAY, 9:00 PM KENYA TIME
Lucy should be discharged from the hospital on Thursday. She has recovered enough to go home, and if everything goes according to plan, she will be in Nyahururu by tomorrow night.
UPDATE TUESDAY, 5:00 PM KENYA TIME
I spoke with Lucy and her dad today. She was very tired but doing better. The swelling and rash have gotten much better.
The hospital won't tell them how much the bill is or when she is supposed to be discharged. So we're playing the waiting game right now. Hopefully, tomorrow, we'll know more.
Overall, it's very good news that she has responded to the excellent hospital care.
UPDATE MONDAY, 9:00 PM KENYA TIME
Lucy underwent surgery on her leg today. The doctors removed bad tissue (I think that means damaged and/or infected) and sealed the sore (I'm not sure how they sealed it).
She is recovering and we're hoping this will fix the problem once and for all. Thank you for your prayers and concern.
We're supposed to find out the hospital bill tomorrow. If you would like to assist, please contact me at dmitchell@lahash.net.
UPDATE SUNDAY, 9:00 PM KENYA TIME
I sent an SMS to Mama Margaret to ask if she had any updates on Lucy. Here is her reply:
Maybe tomorrow in the afternoon I have the information on Lucy. Please be patient, all will be fine but even if Lucy is smiling her health is not good. We continue praying for God to heal her.
UPDATE SATURDAY, 6:00 PM KENYA TIME
Today Mama Margaret traveled to Kijabe (about 2 or 3 hours by bus) to visit Lucy and Lucy's mom. Lucy's dad has returned to Nyahururu to take care of Lucy's younger sister Shiro.
Lucy's mom is staying in the room with Lucy, but didn't even have any money to buy meals for herself. Margaret took some money to help Lucy's mom be able to buy some meals in the hospital cafeteria.
Margaret stayed a few hours and said Lucy was still not fully recovered from the allergic reaction (rash and swelling). Lucy was not feeling very well, but in Margaret's words "could still afford a smile". I spoke briefly with Lucy and managed to get her to chuckle a little bit at some of my small jokes.
The main problem now is the deep sore on the back of her leg that won't heal. It needs to be operated on again, probably Monday. It's badly infected and the tissue has never healed back after the permanent stitches were removed last year. The doctors will go in and clean and hopefully can put in some stitches or a similar solution that will allow it to finally heal.
The reason it got so infected is probably because she was on break last month and was more idle and sitting down than she is during school, allowing the bacteria to really make headway.
Margaret said when Lucy arrived in Kijabe, things were very desperate and if it had been much longer it may have been too late for Lucy. The sad thing is if she had been properly diagnosed in Nyahururu, it would not have gotten so bad, but the hospital in Nyahururu misdiagnosed the problem and gave Lucy de-worming medication instead of recognizing the real issue.
UPDATE FRIDAY, 6:00 PM KENYA TIME
Lucy is still suffering from a rash and is very swollen, but they have given her medicine to neutralize the allergic reaction to the other medicine.
Her wound (the same one from 2007 that has never healed properly) was cleaned, treated and dressed today. The infection has gotten into the bloodstream so they are treating her for septicemia (blood poisoning). This is also related to her kidney problem, because the kidneys were not properly filtering impurities.
Lucy is very uncomfortable because of the rash and swelling but is not in extreme pain. She is terribly upset, however, about missing school which shows what kind of special girl she is.
Margaret is going to try to visit tomorrow and get a full assessment of the situation, including how long Lucy will need to remain in the hospital. Fortunately, thanks to her sponsors, she has NHIF, which is a Kenyan insurance that helps cover room and board.
However, the hospital will not release her until the full bill is paid, and the expenses are adding up with tests, procedures, and medication. If you would like to assist in her costs, please contact me at dmitchell@lahash.net.
UPDATE THURSDAY, 9:45 PM KENYA TIME
I received the following set of text messages from Lucy's dad (pictured right with Lucy in 2007). More updates will be provided as they become available tomorrow.
We went there and she was given various tests, even a kidney X-Ray. The results showed the kidney is OK, but one is smaller. About the swelling, they said it is an allergy to the medicine because she has taken for a long time.
Now she has been admitted because of the wound. It will be operated on tomorrow. We hope God will be the great doctor.
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