Goodbye Catherine.....

This morning we had to go with 11 children for their 3 monthly check-up to the hospital. All the children get their ARVs from the hospital. We pick them every month, but every three months they have to be seen by the doctor. It is always quite an organisation, we weigh and measure their length at home, to help the nurses in the clinic, beause it is quite an invasion when we arrive. We go to the clinic that we have build for them. With the help of the organisation de Figurant from Holland, we were able to build this HIV paediatric clinic. There are now 3 extra doctors to see the 1300 patients, 5 days a week! And I really think this is one of the most beautiful waiting rooms in Uganda!!!!

It took several hours, but all the children were seen and given time, we got all the medicins and we went home. When we came home there were some people waiting, they came to pick Catherine!!! We had taken Catherine also to see the doctor, it was quite a shock. We have talked with the family about taking Catherine home, but there was a lot of confusion in the family and we were not sure if it was safe for Catherine to go.

Catherine had been in Amecet for more than 10 months and everybodyly loves her, it is a real cute friendly girl. She is HIV+ and also on ARVs and she is not so very strong. We had to let make for her special shoes, because her feet were not standing right, she has been sick several times and now we have to say goodbye! It was not easy, I was suprised myself, how sad I was and I even cried when she was gone. I knew that Sarah would be also very sad, because Catherine was almost her little girl. When Sarah came out of school, I took her aside and told her that Catherine was gone, we cried together! But we will keep an eye on her, the grandmother will bring her to our "come back days" and we know where she lives. And now we pray that she will be fine and not getting sick!

Sarah with Catherine