Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
What a day we had! The plan was to leave this morning at 8am. We all walked down for breakfast at 7:45, breakfast was served at 7:50 (a pancake, a hard boiled egg, a sausage arrow root and something else I can’t remember) and Isaac arrived at 8:05. Perfect timing… or so it seemed.
Making plans here is incredibly difficult because you just never know what could happen. The plan was to be on the road to Nakuru at 8. We left the Park Villa at 8:15 (only slightly behind). Then we got fuel for the car an a canister of propane for cooking at Isaac’s house. We then had a few “unofficial stops before we started for Nakuru. We would be much later that even I expected.
The first stop was Isaac’s house. It’s important to note that I know where Isaac’s house is, and I know how to get there. This route, though, was not the way. We were headed out into the rural part of Narok town, in the opposite direction of of the “Isaac’s house” that I know. We turned down a very narrow dirt road, and drove straight for approximately 200 yards into a large area with approximately 12 homes - none of which was older than 5 years. Ostensibly, this was anew subdivision. He made a sharp left, and immediately backed up, then repeated that process until the cruiser was up against a group of bushes on the side of the road. We all got out, and Isaac said, “Welcome to my home.” I said, “What?! When did this become your home?” Apparently, 2 years ago. This is beautiful. Painted walls, tiled floors, family room, dining room, big kitchen, and 4 bedrooms. So every time we spoke on the phone for the last 2 years when he said, “I am working on my home,” and followed it with what the project du jour was, THIS is what he was doing; not fixing the house I was familiar with, but building an entirely new one. Their son Caleb also has a small home within the same compound. While girls don’t leave their home until they're married, but boys are out of the house when they’re 16. Upon hearing this custom, Mike looked at Katie and said, “Wow, you would have been living with your parents until just last year.” This resulted in a lot of laughter. When I asked Isaac what happened to the old place, he said, “Oh, I’m renting that.”Good for him! We sat with Caleb and waited for Leah to come out with there newest baby, Tiffany. At 10 months, she’s already got 4 teeth and can walk, provided she can hold onto something. She also dances when she hears music. I pictured Andrea sitting on the couch next to me, smiling at Tiffan and chatting with Leah about babies and their new home. She would have loved to be a part of all of this, and I know she’s incredibly sad that she’s not with us.
Isaac continued to show us around his new home pointing out all the “upgrades” from his previous one. He’s also got a solar array in case the electricity goes out, and a tank that holds a ridiculous amount of rainwater - so much, that he hasn’t had to buy any since he’s moved in. It’s been enough to carry him through long periods of draught.
Leah’s sister Joyce lives in the same neighborhood and she came over to scoop up Tiffany; she was watching her for the day, while Leah and Caleb joined us for the trip to Nakuru. If Tatiana wasn’t in school, I’m sure she’d be watching her. As a high school freshman, she leaves at 6:30am, and returns home at 6pm. Those are long days by our standards, but here, it’s just school.
Joyce wrapped a shuka around her and Tiffan, instantly turning it into a baby backpack… her little face sticking out above the material. She said her goodbyes to everyone and left to return to her home. We left soon thereafter to begin the 2 hour drive to Nakuru. Time check: !0:30am.
We were moving along at a pretty good clip, but it seemed like no sooner had we left, had we stopped again. This time, just on the side of the road. I looked up the small embankment outside my window to see Isaac’s eldest brother, Alfred, sitting outside his hardware store. I hopped out of the truck to greet him with a big hug, and he met me halfway with a tooth filled smile. He had recently retired from teaching, so he bought this hardware store and this is now where he spends his days. He’s also got a posha mill next door where he grinds corn and wheat into flour. It’s a really nice setup. He now has a home on the same family plot where his mother lives. Isaac explained earlier that after his father died, the sons all received plots so that they cold continue to farm the land. They also agreed that the land will remain in the Kasura family in perpetuity. It will never be sold, rather, it will be handed down from generation to generation. It enables everyone to come back to their ancestral home to live and care for their aging mother. It is exactly what his father would have wanted. Alfred met Mike and Katie with a beaming smile. Meeting the first born of the family is a big deal here, and it showed. That is how I introduce her to those she hasn’t met, and it’s always followed with Katie smiling and her signature, “Hello,” that sounds like two words; “heh-low.” The three of us chatted with Alfred for about 10 minutes. Before we left, Alfred asked how everyone back home was, and asked about Andrea and her recovery. That is a common theme with Isaac’s family. We are all a part of each other’s family, and our mutual, genuine love we have for each other is palpable.
We had to push off, so back in the truck we go.
Another short drive, and another short stop. This one was on the schedule, but I didn’t think it was today. We were driving right by Isaac’s mother, and we had to stop. I was very excited to see her. When I saw her last, 6 years ago, she had just lost her husband and was recovering from a broken ankle. As I entered the compound waving, this tiny 96 year old woman rose from her seat and began walking to me. She had a cane in her hand, but it was more for balance than anything else. No sign of any lasting effects from the brake; not even a slight limp. That’s good, because this terrain is pretty unforgiving for a 85 year old… there’s not a flat lie anywhere. She doesn’t speak any English, so Isaac translated as we introduced Katie and Mike. “Karibuni, karibuni,” she said. “Big welcome, big welcome.” She was very pleased to meet finally meet Katie. She looked back and forth between Mike and her and just smiled. To her, she was meeting grandchildren she only heard stories about.
We went inside her new home. Yup, she got one, too. In 2019, shortly after I returned home from her husband’s funeral, Isaac and his brothers got together and built her a new house. This one was smaller so that it didn’t feel so empty. It’s the first time I’d seen plywood sheeting, and the walls and ceiling we covered with it; the floor a new smooth concrete. It consisted of a single bedroom, sitting area, kitchen and bathroom. Isaac’s brothers Alfred, David, and Anthony all live within stone’s throw away. Because Isaac works so far away, and is gone for long stretches of time, Leah comes and visits with her mother-in-law at least once a week. They have a wonderful relationship that is evident when you see them speaking to each other. True to form, she sat down on the same couch that I was on and asked about Andrea. “How is mum?” As I updated her, she kept her gaze on me as Isaac translated, and nodded with each sentence. She was very happy to hear that she was continuing to recover, and shared in Andrea’s sadness in not being able to come. When a member of this family becomes ill, it weighs heavily on everyone’s hearts. Andrea is no exception. When I first called Isaac to let him know about the heart attack, he was overcome with emotion and had to hang up the phone before I heard him weep. He called back a few minutes later to say, “I will make sure that all our family knows.” And he clearly did.
We continued talking as chai was poured into mugs in front of everyone. It’s as warm as you’d expect Kenya to be, but the hot chai still tasted good. Isaac’s mom even asked about my mother, and how she was. As we sat drinking, Isaac pointed out the picture of his father on the opposite wall. Mike quietly asked me who was in the other picture. It was of a young man in a military uniform next to a second picture of that same young man meeting Kenya’s President Moi. “That’s Isaac,” I said quietly. “No way!” exdlaimed, not so quietly. “Isaac, that’s you?!” “Yes,” he said as he rose and removed the picture from the nail it was hanging on. Mike was surprised to hear that Isaac spent 5 years in the military. Isaac is an amazing man. He is wildly charismatic and engaging. I’ve known him for almost 15 years and he still surprises me sometimes. His brothers share those characteristics.
When our mugs were empty, we went outside for a picture before leaving. She walked us
back to the hill and smiled and waved as we departed.
It’s (still) a 2 hour ride to Nakuru, so we should be arriving around 1pm. The conversation in the truck was lively the entire way (I’m assuming it was when I was napping, too). It didn’t take long for Katie to break out her yarn and knitting needles. Her and Mike were sitting in the 3rd row, and Leah and Caleb were in the second. She and Leah started talking about knitting and after asking if she could try, Katie handed everything over. She showed her particular technique she was using, and Leah went to town. Katie was absolutely amazed at how adept she was at it. Then Leah told her that they taught knitting in primary school when she was younger. It was awhile before the needles and yarn were returned, and Katie was fine with that. Leah continued to say that she doesn’t knit anymore, but she does crochet sometimes. Katie was in heaven.
In the meantime, Isaac and I discussed the special needs school we were driving towards, as well as the two girls we sponsor. One of the girls, Nasinkoi, has not been attending school. She missed the last semester completely, and has been absent for the current one as well. All we have been able learn was that her mother wanted her home. We decided to develop a plan with the school faculty to try and remedy the situation.
Despite being in the last row, I could hear Mike commenting on the changing landscape, soaking it all in. I do believe he is really embracing this trip and enjoying every aspect of it.
We arrived in Nakuru around 1pm and quickly made our way to the main office. The “new” principal is 2 years into this job, and based on the discussion we had with him, I hope he stays for a long time. He was engaging and well spoken as he discussed their educational philosophy that applies to a wide range of disabilities and ages. Deaf, mute, epileptics, Downes Syndrome, physically and mentally challenged… they care for and about them all. They work hard to break down the stereotypes that plague these marginalized students. He gave us a tour of the school showing us the good, the bad, and the ugly. The children are very well behaved and very few came up to us as we wandered around their school. Those that did were met with kindness and compassion that was genuine.
We returned to the office and began discussing the challenges with Nasinkoi. We were pleased to hear that he already has a plan. He’ll be reaching out to the local chief who has been very helpful in situations like this. He expects that he will be able to get the answers that we currently lack, as well as being able to encourage her mother to support her daughter’s return to school. That will be followed up with contact from the head teacher and Nasinkoi’s advocate here at the school. Leah will help, too. Once the plan was agreed upon, they sent for Sharon to come and greet us.
Sharon entered the room expressionless. It wasn’t until she got very close to us that she realized who we were. She wasn’t wearing her glasses, so I knew that would be part of the discussion. Despite his speaking Kiswahili, I was able to understand what he was saying. He was commenting how special she must be to have that come from so far to visit. They must love you very much. She is, and we do. Sharon and Nasinkoi are best friends, and Nasinkoi’s absence shows. She is the more outgoing of the two, and without her here, Sharon is more quiet than usual, but we still managed to me intermittent smiles that she couldn’t stifle. Someone was sent for her glasses and the conversation continued while we waited for them. We will go to see her advocate/teacher to discuss her progress and see if there’s anything we can do to help. The glasses arrived and we moved on to her classroom. Sharon immediately went to her station and immediately began to do some beadwork making a necklace. Her teacher, Rhoda was eager to discuss Sharon. She explained that her beadwork is excellent, and she is also making scarfs. The beadwork yields bracelets/necklaces that are combined with the scarves she makes and sold at market. The child receives 10% of the money, 20% goes to any needs they may have, and the remaining 70% goes toward purchasing additional materials to sustain the program. Rhoda explained that the biggest challenge is her sight. She needs to stand 4’ from the blackboard to read it. The plan is that Rhoda and the school nurse will take Sharon to the optometrist for a new eye exam and new glasses. They’re going to get her there before their break on the 25th, and hopefully the glasses will be ready when she returns to school in March. We thanked them for all that they do for these students (they call them “learners”) and how we can see how much they care for each and every one of them. We exited the classroom and stood under a large jacaranda tree to recap what everyone’s role was going forward. They keep us updated through Isaac as everything evolves.
It was now 2:45pm, and everyone was hungry and thirsty. Isaac and I were about to get in the car when Leah asked if we could run into Naiva’s for some things. Naiva’s is hard to describe. First, it’s an enormous store. The items they have would be like combining Best Buy, Target, and a supermarket together. It’s like a Super-Walmart on steroids, but it appears as though VonMaur owns it. It’s bright, shiny and immaculate. I’m glad Mike got to see one. It’s not what you expect to see. Katie’s never been in one either. There are other similar stores that she’s seen, like Nakumat and Tusky’s, but those place can’t hold a candle to Naiva’s.
Next stop - The Hotel Waterbuck.
We’ve been here before. Nakuru is a very metropolitan city where all cultures intersect. It’s on a main route from Nairobi to Masa Mara, and has some wonderful high schools, so wealthy families from the surrounding communities send their children here to board. The Hotel Waterbuck exemplifies all of that. It’s a gorgeous hotel whose menu is incredible, offering everything from Indian, American, Italian and (certainly) Kenyan cuisine. Isaac, Leah and Caleb each got traditional Kenyan meals, while I got chicken curry, Mike got a cheeseburger and French fries, and Katie got a Hawaiian Pizza. I can tell you that we were all impressed at how good the all were. Katie took her first bite and closed her eyes saying, “This is delicious!” Mike followed suit. Although I have to say when the burger first arrived, it was burger-less. He picked up the bun and saw a sad piece of lettuce and an onion. The waiter saw this and took it away saying, “It wasn’t ready yet.” Nice attempt at a recovery, but the error was completely forgotten with the first bite. Mike was also happy to see some tobacco sauce on the table so he could kick it up a notch.
Katie couldn’t finish the entire pizza, so we took it to go- Mike was sure he would have it in the morning. It was now little after 4 and, with our bellies full, it was time to head back to Narok.
I was a mess most of the ride. I was in and out of consciousness with Isaac apologizing every time he said something to me and saw that I was asleep. It wasn’t a deep sleep though, it was more like a trance. I would later learn that Mike (from their seats in the back) poked Katie and said, “Check this out,” pointing at me. Allegedly, I was my head would slowly fall forward and I would then stay slumped over my legs before waking up a few minutes later. Also allegedly, it was a “lather, rinse, repeat” scenario. Katie said I looked like I was a living boomerang video. She tried to take a video, but my period of unconsciousness was too variable. Sometimes it was 30 seconds, sometimes it was 10 minutes, and she always got caught on the longer ones. At one point, I heard Mike yell, “Hey, Adam! Move yourself a little to the left.” Each time I would slump forward, I was leaning toward Isaac who was driving. His hope was that it would stop me from listing and take some pressure off my neck and spine. It didn’t matter; the slumping continued.
Night had fallen, and I wasn’t sure how far we were from Narok. Leah made a couple requests that I did not understand, and Isaac pulled the car over in a market area. Caleb got out and was going to buy some banana cake for Tatiana because she hadn't been with us all day. I have never heard of banana cake and assumed it was like banana bread. I was wrong when Caleb returned. He had a small paper bag that had too long pieces of cake in it, they are offered each of us a small piece, and I was very to try it. It is absolutely delicious. It tasted like the best banana bread you ever ate, but it had the consistency of a cake so it wasn't as dense. It really was great! Just about everybody continued snacking on it as we drove back to Isaac’s. Soon thereafter, we made another stop. This time it was on the off the road opposite Alfred's hardware store. He came over to greet us one last time before saying goodbye and safe journey. This time, I don't even think Isaac shut the engine off. This really was a brief stop.Despite the late hour, it was important for us to give Leah the opportunity to feed us. Shortly after we arrived at his house, Tatiana returned from school. This was the first time I've seen her in over six years and she'd grown into a beautiful young woman, tall and slender, wide eyed with a bright smile. She has changed so much in the last 6 years. She would joke around with Caleb as they passed Tiffan back and forth. We watched as we waited for dinner.
Leah is a marvelous cook, but I knew she didn't want to keep us much longer than necessary. And a short period of time she whipped up goats to chapati and cabbage with carrots. I sometimes think that they're is an Italian mother somewhere in the Masai lineage. No sooner had we cleared our plates then Leah or Isaac were quick to bring us more. The Kenyan people lavish visitors with kindness regardless as to their station in life. We moved from the dining room to the sitting room and enjoyed a hot chai while we chatted more and continued watching Caleb and Tatiana play with Tiffin.
Fatigue was setting in again, so we said goodbye to Tatiana, and “see you tomorrow to Leah and Caleb. They’ll be joining me in the morning to do some shopping. Now, I just want to go to bed. We gave everyone a hug before turning in. My hands were saying “type,” but my mind was saying “Go to bed!” I’m opting for the latter. See you tomorrow.
Monday, February 17, 2025
Monday, February 17, 2024
While I would have liked to get 6 hours of sleep, it turned out to be closer to 4. I woke up for no reason, and tossed and turned for the next 30 minutes before getting up and showering. It was already quite warm, but after not showering since Saturday morning, I was ready for some soap... and deodorant.
I quickly reorganized my bag and went outside to meet up with Katie & Mike. They were already up, sitting at a table with Caleb and Isaac. Even though the sun was obscured by some billowy clouds, the table umbrella still felt like it provided some relief from the sun's rays. We talked more about the plans for the next couple days and made some minor adjustments. Breakfast consisted of a plain omelette, a sausage and sliced potatoes. Very tasty when you're hungry. The coffee we had made me want tea even more. My day will come. Katie and Mike drank a few pots of it, so they obviously enjoying it.
Isaac and the hotel staff grabbed our bags and we were off. First stop; The Giraffe Center.
They loved it! The center has really changed, mostly because of COVID. The place looks very unassuming when you first enter. There was a lone employee standing at the base of a green, painted cement ramp. If he wasn't handing out small gold bowls containing food pellets, you wouldn't know what this place was. It actually doesn't look like a park at all. Winding paths move you past a curio shop and small restaurant, then lead you up to an elevated hut. In the past, that was where you went to see the giraffes, and they would walk right up to the guard rail to say, "Hello." This time, the path continued in front of the huts. There was a much more sturdy barrier separating you from the animals, and then there was another burlap covered barrier that prevented the giraffes from getting to close to you. They were able to get their noses closes enough for their elongated tongue to emerge and remove a food pellet from between your index finger and your thumb. As soon as you turn the corner, there they are. I counted close to 10. Most of them were quite young and had to lift their heads in order to retrieve a pellet. An older one, who was significantly taller, arrived and began moving his head over the barrier and reaching for some food. He was a little more interesting because we could get a closer look at him. His head was within inches of us. The expressions on their faces was priceless. I think this was a real treat for them. Once all the food was gone, we made our way back outside where Isaac was waiting with our driver. Narok, here we come.
It's about 11/2 hours from Narok, and the roads were good so we had no problems. It also helps that it's downhill through the Rift Valley. Coming back is never that easy. Mike and Katie were chatty with Isaac and Caleb the entire way. Mike was taking it all in, and Katie was pointing things out so that Mike didn't miss anything. Women waving as we drove by their roadside produce stands, men coming to the window hawking potatoes at intersections, and the scenery that makes you smile... children in different colored uniforms heading home for lunch, young men out grazing their cattle and goats... and then there's the landscape. This really is a remarkable place.
We stopped at a small curio shop and snapped some pictures overlooking the valley. It's really impressive; the pictures don't do it justice. We walked through the curio shop (don't worry, honey, I didn't buy anything) then went next door for a chai (tea). I was really looking forward to it as I had coffee with my eggs in the morning. When the British left Kenya, they left a lot of things behind. One of them was terrible coffee (but great tea!). The tea here is usually made with water and milk and they use tea leaves, not bags (although bags are provided if you like your chai stronger). It's also Kericho tea which is farmed in the town of Kericho a few hours from here. It was delicious, despite the first sip burning my tongue. Katie 
and Mike also had tea, and Mike really like it. We saw something I'd never seen before, too. As we looked over the side of the embankment, this beautifully colored bird flew by. Katie noticed it, too, and pointed to a tree below where several had landed. While we had our chai, Isaac explained that they are Bee Eaters although I'm not sure if that's their name, or that's just what they do. He then explained that they eat bees, along with a detailed description of what the bee goes through before being injected. Suffice to say that you don't wan tot be a bee in the Rift Valley - it's not a pleasant death.
We hopped back in the van and continued driving. It was nice to listen to the four in the back constantly talking. I was in the front seat and had a tough time discerning everything they were saying, but the conversation was lively and included lots of questions. Mike spotted the baboons as we continued down the hillside, and I told him we'll see more of them Saturday when we're on our way back to Nairobi. That ride is much slower, and gives you a chance to really look at them. I'm sure we'll see them on the Mara.
We arrived at the Park Villa and I immediately noticed that, like the Giraffe Center, there were a lot of changes. They added another restaurant, outdoor seating and a clothing shop. The owner, Alan, was sitting outside at a table talking on the phone when we walked in. He hung up the phone and smiled at us as we approached. My hello, was met with a "Welcome back," followed by Mike quickly introducing himself, and Katie being identified as my first born. We moved to the other side of the patio and ordered some barbecued goat, kachumbari and ugali. The driver joined us and informed us that he was a vegetarian - not very common in Kenya. He had French fries, ugali and cabbage. I weep for vegetarians.
We rose and walked over to the corner of the patio where there was a small sink and a soap dispenser. In our experience, regardless of the tribe, all Kenyans wash their hands before eating. Sometimes they can come to your table with hot water, a basin and a bar of soap, but this was all self-service. You return to the table with wet hands, but that's okay. Your hands usually air dry by the time the food arrives.
After the veggie plate was set on the table, the butcher came out with a couple large barbecued goat legs and began cutting off the meat into chunks and placing it on a plate. It took him three plates to complete the job, and we almost immediately dug in. It was delicious. Strangely enough, the last time I had goat was over the summer, when Isaac made it for us in our home. He came over to help celebrate Katie's wedding, and was happy to make a delicious stew with the goat meat. In case you're curious, Wegmans sells Goa in the freezer section. The only problem with getting it there is that you really need Issac to prepare it. Okay, enough. Back to lunch.
The kuchambari is basically, tomatoes, onions, and parsley, but this one included piri piri, which Isaac refers to as "tear gas." This one was a lot lighter than usual. It didn't even register on Katie or Mike's internal spice-o-meter. I'm sure Isaac will try to remedy that situation - he's the consummate customer service representative. Mike said he loves spicy food, and Isaac is eager to please. That most assuredly means that we have piri piri in our future. We cleaned most of the plates and went back to our rooms to get settled and perhaps take a nap. We were to meet Isaac downstairs at 4 to run some errands and eat dinner. That gave us 2 hours of free time.
Once I got "settled," I looked at my watch and sighed. It was already 3:30, so there was no point in taking a nap. Mike and Katie are next door, and I hadn't heard a peep since they locked it behind them. In true Kenyan fashion, Isaac called at 3:45 to inform me that the car wash was going very slow and it might be better to meet at 4:30. At 4:25 he called and said, "Can you meet me at the car wash.? These guys are not very fast, so I have the driver from today to coming to pick us up at the car wash." "We'll be there in a minute," I responded. So Katie, Mike & I walked the couple hundred yards to the car wash. This would be. good FYI moment. The car washes here are nothing like the ones in the states. They're basically a couple guys with a power washer and towels. All the doors get opened, trunk included. How else are you supposed to spray the inside of the vehicle?! And yes, they do. Everything gets wet and rubbed down. In there defense, they really do a good job. It's just that everything gets wet.
Anywho, the driver shows up, we hop in, and it's off to the races.
Sidebar. I just woke up. I don't know how long I was out, but I'm still exhausted to I'll try to finish and get it posted first thing in the morning. Have no fear, my "first think in the morning" is your 1am.
Okay, I'm back at it.
We went to the "Hub" which is basically a 2-story quasi-outdoor strip mall. They have the only Safaricom store in Narok county and I need a new SIM card form my modem. Thankfully, Isaac knows someone there so they were expecting us. We got the modem squared away relatively quickly and then it was back to the van. roughly $30 fro 40gigs of internet... pretty good deal. Let's see you match that one, Verizon.
As we were pulling out, a man walked up to the vehicle and Isaac said, "Hey! Do you know this guy?" We did. It was Isaacs cousin David (Anthony's son). He actually was the one who did the most recent tiling project at the maternity! We'll be going to see that one on Wednesday. We chatted briefly before heading to an ATM to withdraw some money. That was easy.
Isaac next wanted us to stop and see Kim. He is a local curio shop owner that I visited every time I was in Kenya. He's close to the Park Villa hotel, and next door to a really good restaurant that we'd frequent. When we pulled in, I noticed that the restaurant was closed. That didn't bode well for Kim, as they were responsible for providing the vast majority of his customers. Drivers would bring their guests here for lunch, and they would invariably visit the curio for knick knacks an chachkis. Side note: there are 4 different ways to spell chachki.
We saw Kim walking up to the shop and Isaac said, "Go surprise him. He doesn't know you are coming." Surprise him I did, and he was very happy to see me. My suspicions about the restaurant were correct. He is struggling to stay afloat. Regardless, I was going to let Mike and Katie pay the equivalent of $165 US for 2 small beaded bracelets and a bottle opener. That's just ridiculous. I realize that they enjoy haggling, too, but that kind of markup is offensive. After some sad haggling, he settled for the equivalent of $15. I gave him an extra 1,000ksh because I knew he could use it. We exited the shop and began moving back to the Member's Club for dinner.
The driver dropped us off and left to go spend time with his family. We won't see him again until Saturday when we come back to Narok on our way from Massai Mara.
I'm managing to speak with Andrea intermittenty through the day. I do miss her so. She would have enjoyed today (except Kim's curio shop), and I know we would have enjoyed having her. Right now, she's too far away from me, and I'm too far away from her. Shout out to FaceTime for helping to try and fill some of that void.
We will chat again tomorrow...
Saturday/Sunday, February 15-16, 2025
Welcome back everyone, or anyone. I haven’t had a Kenyan blog entry since 2019, so imagine some may’ve lost interest, but I’m hoping that you’ll be pleasantly surprised that there’s another Kenyan journey about to begin.
First, I need to point out the elephant int he room. Actually, there’s two of them, but you’ll only hear about one for now. The sad part is that my telling you doesn’t make the elephant go away… he’ll be with me for the entire trip. No reminder needed.
Andrea and I booked this trip with Katie and MIke, her (then) new husband. Our dear friend Isaac attended their wedding and presented them with an extraordinary gift. An all expense paid, 4 day/3 night stay at Entumoto Safari Camp. Those that need a refresher on Isaac - he’s the GM of the camp, and the lead guide. He, and his family, are also a part of ours. But I digress…
Excitement for this trip continued to grow as we got closer to the New Year. Mike has never been to Kenya, and it always makes these trips that much more special when new eyes join us. It reminds us of each of our first trips, and the memories just cascade all over us. Katie was actually the first family member to join me in-country.
Here comes the elephant.
Shortly before Christmas, Andrea suffered a heart attack. It was terrifying for all of us, and in many ways, it still is. She is without a doubt the healthiest of us all. She does everything your general practitioner wants you to do - daily exercise, good diet, lots of fluids. On December 21st, none of that mattered. We would later learn that it was due to SCAD - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. You’ve probably never heard of it,(we certainly didn’t) and then’s because while there are thousands of studies on plaque and clogged arteries, there is one on SCAD. The easiest way to describe it would to say that her heart was pumping so hard that it caused a tear in the arterial wall which then collapses, causing the blockage, resulting in a heart attack. It’s been close to two months, and it’s still difficult to talk about. Even as I type this, I’m wiping away tears. The good news that she has no plaque anywhere. None. Not even a hint. The only evidence is the stent that was inserted on 12/22/2024 where the spontaneous dissection occurred. Unfortunately, everything else is just an unanswered question. The single study done was on fibromyalgia patients who also had SCAD. It’s more common in women, and even more common in women with fibromyalgia - Andrea wouldn’t have been part of that study, because she doesn’t have fibromyalgia.
Here are some of the concerning aspects of SCAD.. Because it’s a result of high pressure on your heart (high heart rate), she’s got to be very cognizant of her heart rate. She had to keep it under 120 for the first month, then they increased it to 140. If you know my wife, you know that those numbers are very low for a woman who exercised vigorously. Her cardiologist said the collapse probably happened a couple days before during a Wednesday run, and didn’t present itself until late Friday night when she sat up in bed. Meds help with the rate and give her the opportunity to work at a level she’s okay with while simultaneously keeping herself > 140BPM. Thank you Peloton and Apple Watch alarm. And while keeping that heart rate below that threshold helps lessen the likelihood of another occurrence, it doesn’t prevent it, and there’s no way of predicting or anticipating when it could happen again. That realization is some of the most difficult aspects of this diagnosis. Her cardiologist says, “It really messes with your mind.” He’s right… and I’m not the one that had the heart attack. We all, however, share the fear and concern about another occurrence. That is why the seat next to me is occupied by a stranger. She’s not allowed to travel outside the country for two years. The idea of traveling to a third-world country was unthinkable. Have you ever heard the expression, “A hospital is no place to get well?” They say that in the states! Can you imagine in Kenya?!
I know what you’re thinking, because I’ve continue to think the same thing - “Why did you leave her?”
This was an important trip for a lot of reasons - cue that second elephant. I’m sorry, but it’s going to have to wait. Ultimately it was the decision that was made. I have been in close proximity since it happened, and this isn’t a “I’ll just run to Wegmans and pick some things up.” We’re both nervous. We’ve just got to miss each other for a week. Karen & Alex (along with our almost 7 month old grandson, Dusty) and Kevin & Lindsey are keeping a watchful eye on her while I’m gone, and one of Andrea’s best friends, Teresa, flew in from Indiana to spend 4 days with her. Today (Sunday), they’re going with Karen to have spa day. Hopefully that will be a nice start for a week that will pass quickly.
As to our travel plans…
For the first time ever, we’re flying Air France through Paris to Nairobi. Yes, I’m going to Paris without my wife. Yes I left on Valentine’s day. No, these thoughts are not lost on me. In reality, Andrea and I have never really had a desire to go to Paris… although I’ve only seen the airport, I’m not impressed. I am, however, impressed with AirFrance. Nice airline with very nice flight attendants. Unlike most of the other international flights we’ve taken, this group didn’t warm up to English. If they said something in French (that I could understand via hand gestures and what they were holding - ie “Blah blah blah, ooh la blah blah” while holding a bottle of wine translates to “would yo
u like some wine”) and I responded in English, they would continue in French. To parrot the wonderful Steve Martin, “It’s like they (the French) have a different word for everything.” The food was delicious, but wasn’t crazy about the seats. I didn’t sleep en route to Paris but managed to get a couple hours on the way to Nairobi. Mike and Katie got a little shut eye, too.
Flash forward to my current status. It’s 1:26am, I’m sitting under a mosquito net at the Royale Hotel in Karen (an affluent suburb of Nairobi).I am surrounded by rickets chirping non-stop and guard dogs that are barking relentlessly. No different that the US - one barks, they all bark. Dogs are kept outside here and used primarily as night watchmen. That means that anything that might cause a single dog to bark, ultimately causes literally a dozen dogs to bark. It happens all hours of the evening, but that’s just the way it is.
Turn back the clock a little bit. When we exited the airport, Isaac was there with a big smile to greet us, along with his son Caleb who is now getting ready for college. We learned that he wantsa to study aviation. There’s not a pilot int he family, so it’s a good fit and, more importantly, it really interests him. He’s grown into a nice young man, standing just a bit taller than Isaac. He has Isaac’s personality, so he’s engaging and interested. At one point, while we were updated everyone on our families, Isaac started talking about Tatiana (who’s still in high school). He said, “Tatiana just talks and talks and talks. She never stops talking!” Caleb looked up at me and in the silence that followed Isaac’s statement, quietly said, “She’s our Karen.” Now, if you know Karen, that’s hilarious. If you don’t know our daughter Karen, trust me, it’s funny.
Okay, that’s enough for now. I’ve got a couple mosquitoes buzzing around my head and I want to make sure they’re outside the mosquito net. We’re meeting for breakfast at 8 - that’s six hours from now and I’m getting a bit sleepy. See yo’all tomorrow.
