SAHARA Michael's Home II

***Jackie I replied back to ur comments in the comments...***

Today was day two at Michael's home and we had a great time. But bfr I get into that let me add that our AC died yesterday night and we were sorta out of electricity too. It's not fun-stuff...AC's not back yet but Acchelal (the caretaker) says it'll be fixed tommorrow.

We started off our time at the site talking to Urm a mother of three who has been at the center for the past month. She is the wife of a truck-driver but has NOT contracted it from him. Her story starts off some four years back when she first started complaining of various aches and pains...help was sought from a local practitioner who kept treating everything w/injections (the kind that had been used over and over and over again). Eventually she was tested at one hospital where the test came out negative. However-a test done later with another doctor (apparently a real one) came out positive and she was referred to SAHARA Michael's. She currently stays at Michael's Home w/her four y/o ADORABLE daughter. She has two other older daughters (9 and 11 y/o) who are staying back home w/the grandparents and family. Her husband who is constantly on the road has not tested positive and serves as a support system for her. She admits her greatest regret after testing positive was automatically assuming her husband had fooled around and given it to her. She has family support but they've made it a point to make sure word does not get out of the house into the community about her having tested positive (fear of the severe stigma attached). When we asked her what could be done about these quack-docs (that are what they are really called) she said that while the docs cannot be stopped it is possible to attempt to stop people from visiting them...word can be spread by mouth to raise awareness.

We then spoke to several others who now work at the center but previously were clients receiving the services---absolutely amazing!!! Almost everyone from the medical director down are former IDU (injection drug users) who struggled for years with the addiction bfr seeking out help at SAHARA's and overcoming the addiction. When we say addicts we mean people who were spending anywhere between 100-5000 Rs. daily on drugs (drugs that are both legal and illegal---legal meaning drugs sold at pharmacies but bought under the table and illegal meaning things such as brown sugar aka heroin). We also had a chance to visit the mini-lab (remember they are trying to make things work as they are now based in a farmhouse???) where the lab tech showed us rapid testing for Hepatitis B/C as well as HIV and she also showed us a slide of a STD under the scope but we cldn't clearly understand what STD she was referring to. She will bring the written name and show us tommorrow.

Post-lunch we spoke to Aunty Jenny (such a sweet woman)...a former school teacher who involved herself in these activities after her two daughters were struggling w/an addiction problem. She works as a counsellor and while she hasn't been formally trained I can confidently say she can beat out any formally trained counsellor w/all her experience and skills. SAHARA helped her two daughters overcome their addiction and now they are also leading a perfectly normal life. We also had a brief session w/one of the nurses who told us about the universal precaution methods used in the center---which vary slightly (and are milder) because this is a 'home' or center as opposed to an actual hospital.

One thing we have learned over and over again at Michael's Home is that it is in particular a success because it run by those who were once addicts. These people understand to the T what these clients are struggling with, what their needs are, etc etc.

Post site visit we headed off to Delhi Haat an outside market where one can buy handicrafts, cloths, snacks, etc and spent some time shopping there. Had my first Limca (sorta like a 7-Up as Paul called it) since we arrived-lovin' it. Then headed home but just HAD to make a quick stop at Cafe Coffee Day (Indian Starbucks) where me Mango Colada was yummy (tempted Paul into buying one) and Farah had her prescribed dosage of a latte. Just got home and am realizing more and more (as my pants LITERALLY stick to this chair) how much we miss Bapu's AC that worked almost all the time (lol minus that lapse for a day or two that we faced).