So it looks like surgery in Cape Town

My mum is in high spirits on her comfy hospital bed with a stream of visitors and good hospital food. She has requested a slice of cheesecake though from Classic Desserts tomorrow. I will oblige. As a joke she asked the nurse for champagne and the lady next door asked for wine - between the two of them :P Well the news was not so good from the specialist today. He has concluded it is my mum's varicose veins and faulty valves in her legs. This could lead to ulcers on her veins - not nice and future bleeds (I don't think I can handle more of those). It is a worry that when I am at work and if she is at home and had another one, I wouldn't be there). Well Dr Magaya has said he wants the cellulitis to clear up first, but as soon as it has, she needs to get on a plane and go down to Cape Town for laser surgery on her veins. It will take two to three weeks. Once again, THANK GOD we're on BUPA ... and, my mum's sister lives in Cape Town. I don't think I will be able to go down with her.

So there's my news. I joined a short petrol queue in Kensington and thankfully got a full tank. My dogs at home are very confused about where my mum is and they followed me through to the bathroom which still smells a bit even though I used Jik and Handyandy in large quantities. The dogs looked at me as if to say, "did you kill your mother?"

A big thank you to all, both near and far who have lent support. In particular the Lomagundi home group from the Base Church have been amazing with visiting my mum and keeping her spirits up, as well as praying for her and our friends Vee, Carolina, Deborah and my boyfriend Matthew. People have been very kind.

Rather too many bodily fluids this week

My student that was sick everywhere on Wednesday didn't come to school yesterday. His mum said he told her, "But Miss Lannas would want me to be at school." Er, no, I didn't really want to wipe up more vomit and sanitise more books.

Well it turns out wiping up puke was not the only thing to gross me out this week. Got home last night and just before my mum and I went to bed, my mum suddenly called out from the bathroom, "oh my goodness, what is happening?" I first thought there was a snake but then she said she was bleeding and it was just gushing out. She told me to get cotton wool, so I fumbled around but then saw how much blood there was and told her a towel would be better. I was beginning to feel flustered and ever so slightly queasy. I really am not good with the sight of blood oozing out. It just didn't let up so I made the decision that we should get an ambulance as by now the floor was covered. I quickly looked up on my phone, the post I shared last year about ambulance services that have fuel to come collect you. Found one service but when I phoned they said it would take at least half an hour - I started to get a bit panicky, so phoned a second medic rescue. They said ten minutes. I tried to phone the first back to cancel but couldn't get through. Ten minutes passed and I was getting really anxious and told my mum I would drive her there. We had just got to the car when what I thought was the ten minute ambulance arrived. Actually transpired they were the half hour one and the ten minute one then started phoning to say did I still want an ambulance and I said incorrectly it had already arrived.

Anyway, eventually got my mum to Healthpoint trauma centre. Turned out the ambulance didn't know how to get there! So they had to follow me. Eternally grateful for the medical aid we are on being international and covering all costs for now. Meant my mum could be admitted and treated. The paperwork took an age though as they kept giving me the wrong forms and I eventually left my mum at 1.30 this morning, to have to wake up at 5 for school. My day was made though when I arrived at school to a tibouchina floral spray on my desk from my student who had been sick. I thought he must somehow know, but no, he just decided to give me flowers today, bless him. I have somehow managed to acquire an awful lot of marking for this weekend but I keep telling myself I would have had way more work if I had not gone into school today (which I was tempted to do when the paperwork took so long).

They are not quite sure what has caused the rupture of the artery in my mum's leg, so need to still do further tests. She is still in hospital for now and I am manning the home front. I need to head to bed though now. It has been quite a hectic 24 hours.

When there is vomit

Yesterday I had a bit of a downer. Little things got to me and pulled me down. Need to try adjust my thinking. Doing bit better today but it has been quite a morning of school. The first student I got to read suddenly started retching and I pretty much propelled him out the classroom but we didn't quite get there in time. I narrowly missed having him throw up all over me. Cleaned him up and my classroom and the morning carried on. He decided he was well enough to rejoin us but just before home time I had him handing out books and round two came on. This time he was sick all over the books, himself and one of the other student's jacket. Poor boy burst into tears. I got him to go wash down and then had the unenviable job of cleaning up again. This is a new addition to my teaching duties and I am not sure how keen I am on cleaning up puke. I started to feel sick.

Had my Chinese six year old online and wished him happy new year. Managed to coax out the story of Nian and the colour red from him and he then decided to be a human firework and do lots of arm movements for me. We ended with him drawing a very complex form of noughts and crosses. I still don't quite follow.

School has now resumed to normal after the disruptions of the stay away. I set the stay away as one of my story topics today. A few wrote on it and how the internet went off. Otherwise I have had detailed descriptions on how to play Fortnite for my topic of A Game.

Shopping is now quite stressful

We had school again yesterday and most of my students returned, although everyone is still struggling to find fuel. The lady who cleans our classrooms and brings me coffee was able to get in from Hatcliffe. She did say people are being beaten by the police in Hatcliffe. Turns out our head loves Christmas cake and date loaf, so my offerings scavenged from Veldemeers for tea went down really well and I gave everyone sugar highs from the meringues. The internet went down again though. Had heard a rumour it might from midnight Friday morning and sure enough we were all without it again until about 4 pm Friday. Am currently using it to prep for next week as you never know when it is going to go again. There is talk of another stayaway from Wednesday to Friday this coming week.

On the way home we only passed two fuel queues on Second Street which were both ridiculously long. Suddenly decided it might be worth trying to get groceries in. I gave up on Thursday, what with the armed policemen and queues to the back of the supermarket in Village Walk. I decided to go to Fruit and Veg in Avondale as usually they don't have long queues as you pay more. When I first went in there weren't many people and quite a few shelves were empty. A few people were trying to figure out what things cost as the prices didn't match up with things. Slowly the shop started filling and you sensed people were feeling a bit panicky and started filling their trollies with things like canned foods and pasta (I was doing the same). The management suddenly decided to pull down the door to the entrance and weren't letting any more people in. I quickly paid for my groceries and then went across to Bon Marche to try get things that Fruit & Veg didn't have. Walking across the car park some of the vendors came and asked me to buy things. They were pretty desperate so I agreed to buy some mangoes and potatoes when I came out, paying by Ecocash. In Bon Marche, Ecocash was apparently not working but luckily they could still accept swipe even though the internet was down. I didn't really want to pay in cash. The queues were much longer in Bon Marche and people were really stockpiling their trolleys there. I happened to look at how much Bombay Sapphire now costs - over $100!! And coffee - Nescafe, which is the cheapest is $46 - noooooooooooo!!!!

I got home and was actually exhausted even though it has technically only been a three day week. I think the background anxiety has taken its toll. We are going to try get fuel today but otherwise keeping quiet at home. I am teaching my Chinese student online just now if the internet stays on.

What is normal?

We returned to school today but I only had half my class come back. Most weren't able to get to school as they had no fuel, as it is now incredibly scarce. Only a matter of time until us teachers also don't have any. There is the possibility of a mass demonstration through town tomorrow in protest. I don't know if it will come off though and if people will be brave enough to. Although at this point I think people are really desperate. The lady who cleans our school and brings me my coffee (for which I am always so grateful) didn't come in today. She lives in Hatcliffe. I tried to go shopping in Pick'n'Pay at Village Walk at lunchtime to make stuff for staff tea tomorrow but aborted that idea when I saw the queues (AND the armed police - with AKs at the ready - supposedly to prevent looting - I wasn't sticking around in case that happened). I made a quick contingency plan and went and bought meringues and fruit cake from Veldemeers. I did first check that the prices on display weren't in US dollars - just checking!! - they weren't luckily. The shop assistant there also lives in Hatcliffe and she said Veldemeers had to organise for her to be collected for work today as the mini bus taxis weren't running. She said people have been going missing.

A friend who is a human rights lawyer here is organising for fundraising to help assist people who have been arrested and providing them with legal aid, food in prison and medical treatment. If anyone would like to assist get in touch with me and I can provide you with more details. There are hundreds of people who have been arrested over the last few days and some of them have been badly beaten.

Driving home today we came across a stray dog wandering hopelessly along King George Road and Connaught. Managed to get it to run up what turned out to be a really long drive way. There were all sorts of wonderful fungi growing amongst the vegetation and I got quite excited whilst trying to herd the dog to what seemed to be its home. Tried ringing the gate intercom but couldn't raise anyone, so I rang a bell on the gate which brought out two other dogs but from their interaction with the stray dog it was evident that the dog definitely belonged there. Still no human appeared though. It then started to bucket with rain and I was still trying to keep the dog from running back down the drive to the busy road below. Finally, after becoming thoroughly soaked the owner eventually came out and it was indeed their dog - happy end to the story. I was worried that if we took the dog to the 24 hour vet on East Rd the owner might not have access to social media, with it being blocked currently, and the dog may be put down. But thankfully not!

When the whole country is without internet

After heading home early on Monday we spent the next two days of the stay away quietly at home. I woke up yesterday and found that Facebook wasn't opening but up until 9.30 am, I could still get on whatsapp and email. Then everything went down and we lost contact with the outside world and what was happening here in Zim. I used the time to do some much needed clearing and marking. My sister in the UK only became aware of what was going on in Zim today and had to text message (we did at least still have that, although it costs a lot more). We were able to get home without hindrance on Monday but my good friend Nina who lives in Hatfield was cut off from her child due to barricades and squirmishes with police on Chiremba Road. I was told that there had been shootings in Epworth and checked with our gardner if his family was alright. Luckily they were.

It looks like we will go back to school tomorrow but who knows what the rest of this week holds and how we are all supposed to continue with prices now three and half times what they were. I was supposed to teach my student in China today but had no internet. They of course know all about having a clamp down on the internet there and completely understood. Seems Facebook, Instagram and Youtube are still down.

Failed as a dog whisperer

We got back from England to find that our one dog Jasper was not himself. Taking him to the vet though is a mission as he can be aggressive (that's putting it mildly). This morning we got everything ready, after going to get a sedative for him yesterday. Well the same thing happened as last time where the sedative just didn't kick in when it was supposed to. He was still very alert when we got to Avondale and there was no way we were going to get him inside easily. As he had lost weight, his harness didn't fit him properly as he kept wiggling out of it. Eventually the vet lent us a rope and muzzle and we had to go round to the back entrance to avoid him running off into the busy King George Road.

So it turns out he has a longer term form of biliary which doesn't display the classic symptoms. Poor baby! He had a high temperature and we are hoping he doesn't have damage to his organs from it. He's on a high dose of antibiotics and had jabs. If he doesn't get better we have to go back for blood tests. We did bring flea and tick stuff back for he and Elsie but I think we didn't act fast enough. Need to put Elsie on a systemic dose.

We're back home and NOW the sedative is in full effect and he is passed out with Elsie at my feet. I am home for the foreseeable bit as no house sitting is on the immediate horizon (right now in Zim I don't think many people will be off travelling lots). I am trying to tidy up at home. It is hard going as my mum hoards terribly and as fast as I try throwing stuff out, she rummages back through and digs it out saying it has a use. Very frustrating. I think not living at home most of last year did me a lot of good and may have been one of the reasons I didn't get depressed quite so much. I guess I am saving petrol though and I have my dogs.