MOMMY'S PHOTOCOPY

   A very busy Monday morning and my moods are swinging dangerously because I'm not used to having so many patients at a go. The rainy season had made me lazy because I would see a maximum of 10-15 patients in a day. With the brief rain detour, the grading of the roads by the county government, the rich fruits harvest and the plenty of free time because people are done with planting ,the patients are in plenty from the North (Moyale,Marsabit), to Tseikuru  (Kalonzo land) to the locals in Meru. I was boiling up inside and wondering how I was going to finish up my increasing queue by 5.00pm. My boss(he says I call him 'colleague') was already exhausted at oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy number 7, more than 10 ultrasounds, 2 ECGs,emergencies,consulations here and there, an impending appendicectomy,Caesaren Sections, D&C etc on  their way to theatre. I would pop in and give him moral support before going back to my office to continue with the endless queue.  I was spurting at my colleagues wondering why all patients were being sent to me for rather simple conditions but the more I saw them the more I realized it was not a day of simple 'hapa-kule' syndromes. There were important medical decisions to be made; for instance,10 suspicious and confirmed cancers diagnosed on imaging and pathology in one day was no joke. It was turning out to be an emotionally draining day. A day of intense counselling and bearing the brave face  to break sad news to patients; giving false hope when deep inside I knew some of them  had advanced conditions and had utmost a few months to live.   To make it was, I was struggling with a cluster headache thanks to using computer for long hours the previous day to prepare a hospital based Continous-Medical-Education presentation .  So anyway, amidst all this mess, in walks a beautiful eloquent lady with a bright smile together  with her happy cheerful daughter.  During consultation I note that she is a my fellow 'Cambodian' and I don't hesitate to tell her that she is my 'sister'. We Kamba chics have some undying love for each other when out there in the 'diaspora.' Out of nowhere she asks me if by any chance I was the daughter of One Miss.Rajab. Shell shocked, I immediately acknowledge that the said person is indeed my mother and she goes ahead to tell me that she was her high school Kiswahili teacher. We get talking for a good 10minutes in total disregard of the queue outside (I needed the break) and my day is immediately transformed. She tells me how i'm an exact photocopy of my mother and what a wonderful mother I have . I feel honoured, excited and challenged to be a good ambassador for mommy cos clearly I carry not only her looks, her walking style, her brains , her habits but also her legacy to do our duties at work with one heart and dedication; to leave a positive mark in every person who passes through our hands.  All this reminds me of one great saying, ''Women grow up and our energy is largely turned towards men, but the original love relationship is with a mother. If we as daughters don't acknowledge that, we're closing ourselves off from a great source of power and fulfillment and understanding of ourselves." - Lee Sharkey Have a great week ahead, won't you?