Update from India 81

Comment

Well it’s been an interesting month.

Udaipur had the biggest storm in 70yrs.

A Massive natural calamity struck parts of North India, worst effected being Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.  killing more than 70 people, uprooting trees and flattening houses. In Uttar Pradesh, 45 people died — 36 of them in Agra alone. In neighbouring Rajasthan, the figure was 27. The storm swept across Delhi too, but no loss or damages have been reported from the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences and said the states have been offered help to deal with the crisis. as a high-speed dust storm caused devastation on Wednesday night in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, Alwar and Dholpur districts killing over 27 people and injuring over 100 .

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed grief over the calamity and said authorities concerned in the districts have been directed to ensure all possible help to victims.”Condolence for families who lost their loved ones,” she said on TwitterThe intense storm, uprooted trees,snapped power cables and led to the collapse of many thatched houses. Most of the people who died, were sleeping when their roofs collapsed in the storm.

We here lost trees and sadly lives to the wind and dust, that coupled with heavy rain tore down many miles of power lines leaving (us) without power for several days. Normal supplies are still not constant. This is the worst time of year for power cuts due to high demand for A/C. 105DegF today. We have battery backup but it only lasts about 6 hours when charged. Obviously with the power out it didn’t charge so it was touch and go for the freezers with power coming on and off. We sealed them and didn’t open them. When we checked they had remained frozen. As I write this the power just went off again. Another dust warning has just been issued for Udaipur.

Below are pictures of the storm near us

This is the same roof that has taken half a dozen men to move
to here from where it landed so people can get past. It took
two more days to dismantle and move it was very very heavy

This is the tin roof that flew right over the top of our house
and just missed cars and bikes. Luckily no one was walking
in the street it would have sliced them in half. It floated like
a feather and demolished our neighbours fence

A steel roof similar to this blew off, cleared our house
and crash landed in our street just outside our gate.

Amba up our tree cutting down the damaged tree branches
so no one will get hurt when they fall. And amazing she
did this wearing a Saree, what an amazing woman, Wow

Just a few of the tree branches that broke off

All hands to help with the
clearing up

Quite large and heavy branches pleased they did not hit me

Below a few pictures of Amba doing her tree pruning post storm

This tree just missed crushing my scooter

It might not look big here but believe me it could have killed
someone had it fallen on them.

Our swing was just lifted up in the air like a toy

Fortunately the chicken quarters survived without too much
problem some of the shading requires repair and they got over
the shock quite quickly

Shading suffered at the rear of the house and we had 5
windows blown in which made an awful noise and a lot of
glass on our inside stairs

Well the new fence stayed up

Our new gates with bamboo to stop our neighbours dog
from ramming into it to get into our garden to attack our dogs

This is how it looks from the outside and it is working

Our new arch into the garden

Our Mangoes are growing well

Tomatoes not as successful here much better at back garden

Beetroot at far end, then carrots, leeks broccoli and lettuce

One of the birds nests in our garden we have several birds
nesting and visiting

Comments from Kris

Update on Geeta

She has had first operation for skin graft the donor site was her thigh so she has been a little incapacitated for a few days, now running around again. Dressings on her graft and graft site will be done Wednesday 24^th at the hospital, we are praying for a good outcome.

Latest on skin graft is that it failed due to infection and compromised blood supply to the area, the skin graft donor site is healing well. The main reason is that we are desperately trying to deal with the effects of a year’s neglect of her arm. Had she had treatment at the time she would not be having these problems and she wouldn’t have contractures of her elbow and wrist and the burn would have healed whereas now she has ulceration of the burn area which is quite extensive and a compromised blood supply to the affected area. Dressings undertaken weekly at the hospital; her dressings are being done by the registrar plastic surgeon and he is so good with her. She had a strong short dose of antibiotics and that seems to have helped. She will be reassessed weekly and there is a possibility they will try grafting again in the near future.

To do a skin flap graft is more difficult as she has so little good skin near to the site which remains attached to the skin flap, it does get better results but her wound is quite extensive so we will have to take the advice of the plastic surgeon as to whether it is even possible.

Geeta herself remains very bright and happy although it has been a huge disappointment to go through so much pain for nothing. She is one brave optimistic little girl. We need more prayer for healing for her.

One piece of very good news. Geeta qualifies for help with essential surgery from the government this helps us a huge amount. Non essential however is not covered.

Update on Chris

Well he saw the dermatologist at the same hospital as Nephrologist, had a skin biopsy for which we see her again Monday for the results and hopefully see the Nephrologist the same day or the day after to get his further results regarding his kidneys. We both remain positive and are praying for the best outcome, we know he will not recover the damage he has now but we hope to prevent it getting any worse. Chris still feels tired and has very short bursts of energy, but he’s still my cheeky Chris.

Further visits to the hospital spent a whole day seeing the Nephrologist, Dermatologist and Respiratory Physician, and having yet more tests. On the good news his skin biopsy showed he has not got vasculitis it showed he has excoriated skin with “perforating collagenosis” a condition which again rare, we can only treat the symptoms and can be linked to kidney problems. On the whole with medication and creams it is more bearable for him and improving.

The Nephrologist is pleased that there is some slight improvement in his creatinine levels and is monitoring them closely he also referred Chris to a Respiratory consultant as he is having difficulty breathing and gets short of breath on exertion. The Nephrologist has not ruled out doing a kidney biopsy but wants a better picture of what is going on before he decides as it may not be helpful to the diagnosis. We are monitoring Chris’s blood pressure as it is fluctuating all over the place at the moment. He again had more tests, x-rays were okay but respiratory function shows his breathing is only at 55% capacity, so he is having steroid inhalers to help and will return to see all the doctors in a further week for reassessment. This they feel is linked to Chris’s kidney failure. On the good news the x-ray did not show anything untoward which is reassuring. It’s difficult for Chris having to take things easy as he is normally so fit and active, so we are praying for healing for him. The last thing Chris wants is for people to treat him differently or go oh poor thing and be depressing we both remain optimistic and put our trust in the Lord and the doctors he’s provided. The main frustration for Chris is he has been unable to go to work teaching for the last month and that has driven him crazy. Apart from hospital visits he’s been resting at home due to lack of energy and breathlessness.

My health

Well my mouth is healing slowly following my fall last month when I fell in the garden and went splat on my mouth in front of visitors we'd just met the day before, how embarrassing. I put my hands down to save my knees and hit my mouth on the brick path, lots of pain and blood but most of the swelling has now gone. It looked like a really bad Botox gone wrong. Lots of panic ensued Chris was unaware as he was in bed resting but everyone else panicked, I put an ice pack on and was just stopping the bleeding when the storm broke,  I can now eat and drink ok. The other day at the hospital Chris was extremely breathless so I gave him my salbutamol inhaler to him to use and thanks to this Chris returned the favour by giving me a nasty chest infection, which has hit me hard and I’m on antibiotics. Coughing is getting better and today I am starting to feel better. Moral of the story would I do it again, no question absolutely Yes, it was an emergency and Chris needed the medication. Maybe I could use this to my advantage later hee hee

Slow progress on the bike because of my health. It wouldn't be this far if it wasn't for
a very good friend Peter who comes for hours almost daily when he can to help me.

The frame for the chair is now complete.
Wiring has begun

Below just a few snaps of our barbecue, great food and company. Ribs, chicken, salad and Chris made his own potato salad with egg recipe, very yummy

Chef Chris at work turning the chicken over

Geeta and Dalloo in the party mood

Geeta playing in front of the air cooler with her paper plate
Now you see me now you don't, she was fascinated that the
air from the cooler could make the plate fly

Food looked great alas Kris not well enough to eat it but
we'll have another barby soon

Marinated chicken legs then barbecued, we ate nearly 3Kg
between us

Peter and Harsh getting stuck in

The coolest place to sit and I bagged it right in front of the
cooler

A small dance with Geeta before
fatigue kicked in 

Kris with DIY Botox, this was following her
fall in the garden

Sorry darling but its not a good look. Yeah I won't be getting Botox it just does nothing for me Chris




Well folks that's all from us its been a really interesting month hoping you are all well
God Bless from us all in Udaipur, Rajasthan