Out of the city for a bit

 Rachael continues to improve, but very slowly.  She walked around her room twice today and sat in the chair for a few minutes each time.  That is twice as much as yesterday!  She is still having a hard time eating, but given how sick she was an all the medication she has been on and still continues to be on, it is not surprising.  She does like chocolate milkshakes, however, and I will make sure she has gallons of it.  Yesterday she tried Ensure and it actually didn't taste too bad.  

It is astounding how terrible the hospital food is. Last night I thought she had chicken with a sauce over it - it was actually pizza.  Even as chicken it looked inedible.   Her lungs are much improved and she has only needed oxygen a bit, and that is when lying down.  We are still hopeful she will discharged soon and that a flight can be arranged soon after that.  It is beginning to settle in that she is really going home and as absolutely happy as I am about that, selfishly, I have to say it breaks my heart to have to say good-bye. 



I took the morning as Rachael rested to get out of the city and visit Nairobi National Park.  It was so beautiful and I felt like I was on safari. I even bought a safari hat so I would look good to the animals.  It was  very healing to spend some time outdoors surrounded by grass and trees and life.  Not the hustle and bustle of this big city.  It ended up I had my own private tour guide who amazed me with his keen eyesight and knowledge.  We saw: hippos, tortoises, monkeys, antelope, buffalo, impalas, zebras, rhinoceroses (or to Beorn - goats), giraffes, ostriches, vultures, other birds, some other kind of little animal...The really cool part, as we came on other tour trucks we would stop and talk to find out where everything was and no one had seen anything!  My driver Charles said it was because I was good and the animals knew it and wanted to see me.  I found that funny.  He also said "Hakuna matata" which made me miss my little boys so very much and I broke into song.
Laurelism of the day: On the tour I was trying to scope out the horizon looking for animals.  I was very excited because far off on the Masai land there were lots of white - zebras!  I tried pointing and telling and getting more and more excited and animated and then Charles said "Um, actually, those are cows."  It was far away.