Things Laura's Mom doesn't want to know....

There is a myth that all bad things come in threes. In the last 3 days Meg saw three broken tibias in the clinic and there are three broken bolts on the bore-hole(water well) alternator that Northe is repairing. But, Laura's stories are the most exciting. Laura had three near death experiences today, each more exciting than the last. 

1. While working in the lab today Laura was about to draw a patient's blood when she and her colleage heard a woman screaming outside. They went to investigate and there was a woman blubbering nonsense and wandering around. She immediately set her sights on Laura and cornered her against the wall where she proceeded to scream incomprehensible words at first but then started yelling about slavery. Have no fear, the lab team came to the rescue and escorted the woman away. Unfortunately the woman and her story remain a mystery to us since the only explanation for the event was that the woman was "crazy," which was explained to us but multiple people whirling their finger next to the side of their head. 

Laura working in the lab. 

2. Laura and Meg decided to head out on an evening run today after work. As you may or may not know, the streets of Kenya are often filled with Boda-bodas (motor bikes used like taxis), which are laden with all manner of people and animals and things. We saw one today with two goats sandwiched between two men, and one with a full family of 4 on it, but the scariest are the ones that seem to be driving 100 miles an hour expecting that everyone and everything will move out of there way. This is also complicated by the fact that it is rainy season and the drivers swerve all over the road to find the flattest place to drive... unfortunately this is also the place Meg and Laura chose to run. It is pretty easy to imagine how this lead to a couple near misses for Laura.

3. This episode we call "The Tabasco Incident." Yes, that Tabasco. The one made in Louisana. Of course we found it here in Kenya and use on our food to spice things up. We were enjoying our delicious dinner of pigeon peas and green pumpkin, with just a splash or tobasco on top for flavor. Laura wanted to enjoy every last drop and used her finger to clean her plate. As we sat back to reminisce about our day Laura jumped up and ran to the bathroom saying her eye was burning. She was sure she would go blind from some exotic African disease, chemical or contaminant when Meg and Northe came to the rescue with clean water to wash her eye and the perfect explanation for the burning. All Laura could say was "thank god this was something that could have happened in the US." Don't worry her eye is fine and we went on to enjoy a beautiful star-filled night sky, albeit after washing our hands.

"Saving" Laura's eye from the tabasco.

Meanwhile, while Laura was having quite the exciting day, Meg and Northe went about their jobs.

Meg with a successfully treated patient.

Northe working on the 3 phase alternator for the bore-hole pump.

And here is a map of the different places that we visit around Mutomo. Click on the blue place markers to see what is what and drag the map around. 

View Mutomo Mzungus in a larger map