09/10/2020
SAVED BY COURSEMATES 2
"Ma, has the result of my test not been released? How will I go and collect it? We were told to return by 4pm for it. Or will Oga collect it when he is coming back home?"
"Yes, he will pick the result on his way home." I replied smiling, wondering how many of her questions I was supposed to answer.
Vivian (Veevee ) had managed to endear herself to my children and I within hours of her stay. She had shown the children pictures, told us about her family and settled in within hours. She was such an impressionable 16 year old girl. She and my 4 year old son were already exchanging banters and she had given him a pet name already. I liked her already. What was there not to like about her? She had already mopped the kitchen floor and done the dishes without being told.
"Ah"... I sighed as I thought to myself. "This is such a relief." God has finally decided to put an end to my search for a live in househelp since December that my help left for Christmas. This was March and I had gone through so much physical stress with my young family while tending to my few months old daughter at the same time. It was a relief to finally get a friendly help after so much disappointment.
At about 2pm, my phone rang, it was my husband. "Where are you?" he asked. "I'm in the kitchen." I replied. "Where is the baby?" he asked again. "She's sleeping in the room."
"Is that girl with you?" "Yes...." I replied impatiently. "Please go to the room, lock the door and receive my call, I want to discuss something important with you." he responded with an urgent note to his voice. I proceeded to the room.
"The results are out. The girl is HIV negative, but Hepatitis B positive. I've called the agent to come and pick her tomorrow, but please be careful not to divulge the information to her so she won't run away. Keep the children safe from any cuts that might be on her body. Let the baby remain with you. I will bring the results on my way home."
I was so distraught and just tired. I was also very sad. However, I went back to the kitchen with a calm and straight face and continued cooking.
" Aunty.... I like it here o. I like your children. You're very nice." Veevee's chat cut through my thoughts. I smiled back at her as I continued chopping the onions. It felt as if the knife should cut through the board and dissect it so I can know the reason why and how this young vivacious girl contacted Hepatitis B. I wondered if she will be able to get the proper care too.
"Aunty, my mind is doing me somehow about the test. My heart is just beating fast." Veevee continued talking as she watched me prepare dinner.
I laughed at this point to douse the tension within me. "Ah Ah, is it promotion examination result you're expecting? It's ordinary blood test, calm your mind."
"...aunty, reason be say, I get one friend who me and am dey Waka, dem don send am back to village last week. They said she get one kain disease. I pray make my own no be like dat o. I like this place. "
I stopped cutting. "What was wrong with your friend?" I asked, still with a plain face.
"Aunty, I no know o, na one kain disease wey fit spread, so the agent returned her back to village."
"Don't worry, your own will not be like that." I assured her as I observed that she was sweating profusely.
The next morning, the agent knocked on our gate by 6:30am. As my husband went to open the gate, I watched Vivian closely. As she heard the agent's voice, she sat up. As he entered the house, Vivian started rolling on the floor and crying profusely. I tried to placate her, she threw herself on the floor and wailed loudly. She really cried. It was a moving sight and the teardrops stung my eyes as the lump in my throat got bigger. She was so young, she could be my younger sister for God's sake.
"How can she be helped?" We asked the agent.
"Well, I don't know. She and her friend apparently contacted the disease from the same man during the December holiday. That one has been sent home. I will send her home too. This is not too good for my business. These girls just useless themselves anyhow. "
Vivian stood and went in to put her things together as instructed by the agent. We gave her some money and bid her farewell.
My husband had talked with the agent and offered to send in some money for her care. The arrangement was to take her to the hospital for care before returning her to the village.
The agent was kind enough to take her to the hospital but he called us back after two weeks that he had to stop the hospital care because the tests showed that Vivian was pregnant with child. She was three months gone already. So, back to the village she went.
Why am I sharing this? Communicable diseases do not necessarily break some people's immune system down. They may be carriers of the disease and may infect others while they do not break down. Only a blood test may reveal their health status.
As carers, we need to protect ourselves and our families by ensuring strict hygiene standards. Soap and water, hand sanitizers, sanitizer sprays and disinfectants should not be out of reach. Even when visiting people for sleepovers, we should ensure we have our protection in our bag. It's our collective responsibility to keep diseases at bay.
Living with a carrier of a disease without protection is a death sentence. The person can have a wound and his/her blood can splash. He/She might have an open sore and touch a surface. Hepatitis B Virus can stay potent for 7 days on a dry surface.
Sometiles, to our prayers, God expects us to take responsibility. Good hygiene practice is a life saver.
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