"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good deed therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show a fellow human being, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it, for I will not pass this way again."

Sunday, November 22, 2015

The Second Line

Its dark and we're late for dinner. Tate and I just walked about 30 min one way to the only chemist (pharmacy) that was open to get Tylenol and ibuprofen for Zed because he has a fever. Again. He just finished antibiotics last week for an upper respiratory infection, and now he's febrile again. I remember when Arnold looked like that and was always getting sick. The CCC clinic already talked to me about transitioning Zed to the second-line HIV drugs. (A little info about HIV: all patients are started on first line ARV-antiretrovirals, but if the drugs become ineffective then they transition to second line. Sometimes it happens gradually over years, but usually it's because the patient had a period where they stopped taking their drugs. HIV is a very cunning virus and can mutate so the first drugs are no longer effective if the wee beasts are exposed to the drug and then given time to develop resistance).

Zed has never ceased to amaze me. I first met him as a filthy, flaccid and vacant-eyed toddler. When we got him a year ago at the age of 8, he didn't speak, had trouble walking, and wasn't fully potty trained. Now he has learned swahili and started talking, he started school (is in the top 10 of his class), and runs around with the other kids. Switching Zed's drug line is very significant for two reasons. The first is positive-it will probably make him feel so much better. He shouldn't get sick nearly as often, will have more energy, will continue to get stronger. The second is terrifying: there are only 2 lines available.

Teddy (aka Vincent)

(My favorite pic of Arnold, because I feel like this button-nosed, out-of-breath profile best shows his intense innocent little soul.)

 

I often debate with myself about what to put down in writing here for the whole world to see. As some of you can imagine, any work in a third world country comes with its portion of hair-pulling frustrations, heartache and discouragement, and if I shared them all you would most definitely stop reading this. Those are burdens I choose to carry, and I appreciate so much that anyone reads this at all and shares in my joys and successes. But then there is the grey areas; the bittersweet, which is how am feeling tonight. I am beyond amazed at how much these kids have thrived and improved. How strong and brave they are. But we will now have two kiddos on second line therapy. And suddenly they seem very fragile.

 

Jessie

 

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for explaining this, Jess. I like knowing what is happening with the kids---then I know what to pray for---especially since I know almost nothing about HIV. I see what you mean about the picture of Arnold :)

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  2. Hooray for you, your strong-hearted children, and your good work, Jessie! :-)

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