Day 97: Lake Mburo NP – Nyore Hillside Retreat (westlich Mbarara)
The night wasn't good; Wolle developed severe diarrhea. The trip to the park before breakfast is canceled, and we consider our options.
We don't really want to go back to Masaka. Moving on to Mbarara, a much larger city, seems like the better option. Vero, whose medical advice we're seeking again, also votes for hospitalization rather than waiting. Thanks for the support!
And so we spend hours in the hospital again.
We first head to the emergency room of the Mbarara District Regional Referral Hospital. This is what a government hospital in a city of 200,000 people looks like on a Saturday morning. Sick patients lie on blankets on the floor, waiting to be admitted. Their relatives sit on the floor or stand around. The wards are crowded. It certainly doesn't smell good. A dead body is carried out through the packed anteroom...
After recording Wolle's medical history (including blood pressure and pulse measurements), the young woman goes in search of a doctor. Tracy, presumably an American, assesses her medical history, asks about certain symptoms, and recommends that Wolle continues taking the antibiotic plus a single dose of another. She also orders a stool test (results after at least four days) and a blood test (results after 24 to 48 hours). And an anti-emetic. Neither test is possible here, so she recommends a private clinic (Mbarara Doctor's Plaza Hospital).
The private clinic is nothing like the one we visited in Angola, but it is significantly better equipped than the public hospital.
We explain our concerns, are led through several corridors, and finally the hospital manager takes care of us. He somehow disagrees with the doctor's recommendation and recommends we see another doctor (consultant). We clarify the possible costs and timescales and agree. It turns out to be very sensible.
To cut a long story short: A blood test after about two hours shows that the bacterial counts are normal, the inflammation counts are still too high, but everything else is fine. The doctor suspects severe food poisoning (not typhoid). The old antibiotic is discontinued because it is likely responsible for the rash and diarrhea and not the best for the symptoms. The additional antibiotic is sufficient for two single doses, so the treatment can be completed. An antiemetic (which Wolle doesn't do) is replaced with an antispasmodic.
By the way: Medications are dispensed here in exactly the right quantities, and blister packs are cut up if necessary. A very economical use of scarce resources.
Now it's a matter of waiting. And just get out of the city.
About 30 km to the west lies a wonderful resort with a parking space surrounded by green hills and a beautiful garden. Healing.
Wolle is at the end of his strength, having had absolutely nothing left in his body for two days. Brigitte is at the end of her strength due to sleepless nights, the driving of the last few days, and not eating enough due to a lack of appetite. This isn't exactly what we imagined... We only manage a little of the delicious spaghetti, but we're given a healing tea made from Indian basil.
Let's hope we get through the night well.