We are still here!

Apologies for the break in communications. Don't worry, we are still OK!

Both of us have been battling this week to try and close off the loose ends that we have with our various projects. Somehow whilst we were away I forgot that I can't expect to work as efficiently as I would at home, so I've been a little frustrated with progress this week.

Today is a case in point. On Wednesday afternoon a cable blew up outside the Accounts department - severing the electrical connection between the hospital and both Zesco and the back up generator. It was unfortunate that the Accountant and I had just spent an hour and a half working on various things without hitting Save. In the moments after the power went off I sat very still until I thought it was safe to speak. Rodgers (who like Abraham is in a wheelchair) was motionless until I'd finished - upon which he banged both fists on the desk and swore loudly. I'm going back on Monday to get the last few bits and pieces. After a few hours power was restored but there was a question about whether the generator would kick in as required in future.

Back to today - the power went off across the whole hospital at about 7am. This isn't that unusual but such an early start is suggestive of a fault rather than routine maintenance. We all carried on as if nothing had happened, although the back up generator did not power up (I can't hear this from the house so assumed that it had). By mid-morning the Surgeons had given up on operating for the day. The battery back up on the Surgical wards was beeping alarmingly when I passed (it normally only has to work for 10 mins before the genset starts) - without reconnection shortly the Oxygen concentrators would turn off and critically ill patients will suffer.

There was no point going to Medical Records to get the data I needed as the computers wouldn't be working. So, reluctantly, Geoff and I returned to the house.

Strangely, when we arrived the power was on and has remained on throughout but the hospital is still without power as I write. I don't know how they fed the patients at lunchtime without power. I don't know how they will cope this evening if it isn't fixed, when all the batteries will have run flat and the hospital could be in complete darkness. But what I do know from experience is that these things generally work out, perhaps that's why the Zambians were quite relaxed about the whole thing.

My only gripe is that the water pump for our area is clearly the other side of the fault. After exercising this morning I discovered no water anywhere (something that hasn't happened for months) and I found it no less upsetting to have to get dressed sweaty today than I did then! In fact it's got to the point that when it started to rain a few moments ago, I put out the laundry bowl to try and catch some water - I'm thirsty and would like to wash my hands! The rain has stopped and I only have enough water either to drink or wash my hands... now that's a dilemma!