Good news/bad news

Above Left: Jacaranda trees fill the streets right now leaving a carpet of purple across the city.
Above Right: This is the public transport system in SA, taxis crammed full of people that stop at undesignated locations.

L: Patey and I with an image of my glorious cast and crutches.

I went to the doctor last week and he took off Cast #1, said I don't need a skin graft (good news) and that there is no way I would be able to travel in December (bad news) and then put on Cast #2. I go back on Monday to get this one taken off, the stitches out and a third cast put on. Argh.

More specifically, when I asked him about traveling he replied, "I don't think you understand the magnitude of this injury." I was about to respond when I started to swoon due to the sight of my massacred ankle and had to lie down.

Last week I returned to work for 2 half-days and I must say, I have never been so happy to be back. Being around people was good for my spirit, and forced me to take a hiatus from my pity party. It is hard to feel sorry for yourself when you have an unemployed, HIV-positive mother who has just been dumped by her boyfriend sitting across from you. I also picked up on an uniquely South African response to injury; almost every co-worker I came across gave me a minute of sympathy and then responded "But you'll be okay." Hearing this about ten times in one day alone had a significant affect on my outlook and I begin to feel pretty optimistic about my prognosis.

The patients at the clinic have responded similarly -- peeking into my office to inquire about my accident and wishing me a quick recovery. Tomorrow I am venturing back to the combined school for sexual violence prevention tomorrow having missed two weeks, and while I am nervous that the under-resourced facilities won't accommodate crutches, I am really looking forward to engaging in work that has been one of my highlights over the past year.

Speaking of which ... I finally bought my ticket home! I leave Joburg on 08 December, in time for World AIDS Day and the clinic's infamous Christmas party, complete with DJ and dancing this year (which I will do everything possible to participate in). Hard to believe that my time here is coming to a close in less than 7 weeks. But for now, I am focusing on the present, and enjoying my favorite things here albeit a bit slower.