Update from Johannesburg, South Africa

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Dr. Seth Miller  who had been with us for the past 3 months left on May 5th for some time in South Africa before heading home to New Mexico and then on to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to begin his Family Practice  residence in mid-June.  He got lots of experience seeing patients and different diseases here, so we wish him well in his next 3 years of residency!

On May 5th we had the wedding of the century at Chidamoyo!  Bennie Munemo, a nurse at our hospital married Last Nyamaharo, a nurse and minister.  Last used to work at our hospital and moved 2 years ago to Harare to work in a prison work as a nurse and a minister for the church their.  Bennie’s mom, Mai Munemo, known as Mother also works at our hospital.  We have been praying and working towards this wedding for several months (years!).

The 9 a.m. wedding finally started at 11:45 a.m. and with 8 bridesmaids, 8 groomsmen, 4 junior bridesmaids and 4 junior groomsmen, 6 flower girls, ring bearer, and a best lady and best man besides the bride and groom!  The church was packed and they kept bringing more in!  We finished at 2 p.m. to go for the reception and lunch.  The wedding party ate outside my outdoor dining room and then we put our 4 canopy covers and the families and VIPS ate outside on my patio!  I had decorated the dining room with ribbons and flowers. And the canopies with ribbon and flowers on all the tables. 

We enjoyed a big lunch of chicken, beef, rice, sadza, cole slaw, tomato and onion salad and ice cream for dessert.  Everyone drank 2-3 cokes too!  The cooks (women from the church and hospital) had arrived at 4 a.m. to start the cooking in my driveway with firewood.

After that we went back to the church for the reception, gift giving and dancing by the bridal party.  It continued until about 6 p.m. when it got dark.  Everyone had a wonderful time and all went home very full and tired!  It was a beautiful day and got up into 80’s during the day.

On Sunday morning at 0600 I left with the Mereki family to go to Harare.  For the past 3 ½ months I have not been feeling well and a specialists doctor in Harare had referred me to see an oncologist in Joburg to work me up for Lymphoma.  So we arrived in time to meet up with Karen Pennington in Harare.  We got to say hello to Dr. Dale and Sue Alice Erickson who had arrived the week before to teach at the Medical School in Harare for a month.  They are staying at my flat while they are there.

Karen and I flew off to Joburg and Ben was there to pick us up from the airport and take us to the B&B we were staying at near the hospital I was to be admitted at on Tuesday morning.  The hospital was in a suburb called Roodepoort and it was called Flora Clinic.  I checked in Tuesday morning and spent 2 days in the hospital having blood work and a bone marrow done.  By Wednesday night the oncologist told me I did not have lymphoma!  This was certainly good news—however I started high fevers in the hospital and she decided to refer me to an Infectious Disease hospital to do further tests.  On Friday we drove to Rose bank Clinic to see the Infectious Disease doctor.  He spent over and hour with me doing and exam and taking a history.  He ordered more blood, stool and urine tests and I see him again Wed for any results and to decide where we go from here.  The plan is to fly home on Friday.

In the meantime we try and not get bored.  Saturday we went to the mall for a couple of hours. Sunday we met up with friends of Ben and Karen who were members of their church in Masvingo before moving to S.A.  They were visiting their daughter and son-in-law and grandkids for the week so just happened to be in Joburg.  We met up with them for church and went to lunch afterwards.  Monday we went to another mall and went to another movie.  Tues we are having our nails done and going to see” Phantom of the Opera” on stage in the evening.  Wednesday back to the doctor.  We have taken plenty of time to read, sleep, nap and watch TV—so it has been quiet a restful time.

Will keep you informed whenever I find out something too.  The infectious disease doctor is in contact with the SA CDC and so hopefully they will all figure out something!  Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts—they are definitely being answered.

                                                   Mr. and Mrs. Last Nyamaharo




Pennington's and their friends


Dr. Seth Miller

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