Update on Lydia

I realize that the last update I meant to email out on Lydia didn't go, so instead I am posting a combined update to the blog. Lydia was a young teacher at one of the community schools we work with and before Christmas got sick with what turned out to be TB Meningitis. It was left for a few weeks and then when I returned from the UK and found out about it, Action Zambia got her a CAT scan and operation. When she was finally operated on, the pressure in her brain had reached 71cm H2O; most people die at 40 cm H2O so it was already a small miracle she was still alive. We had to take her quite some way to get the CAT scan and take her to a private hospital for the operation, for which her family are very grateful, as this was only possible because of the generous donations that many of you have sent. The recovery is very slow. A couple of weeks ago when I visited I was quite disheartened as I could not see much progress. She was still paralyzed on one side and not talking or seeing. However, last week I went for a visit with my parents who were visiting and she is doing much better. She managed to say hello, but then could not get any more words out although she was trying hard. She has full movement back although the feeling to her right hand is only just beginning so she finds touch almost painful. She blinked when the flash went off on the camera, so there is something there although she is not seeing properly. She had responded to her parents before we arrived that she remembered who I was and I was a white man. She is at home now but needs physiotherapy twice a week which costs, so although we hope there are no more major expenses, it look like there will be weekly medical bills for quite a while to come. She sleeps a lot which we hope is helping with the healing process. She is still on liquid / mushy food. The neurosurgeon says it can take two years for a recovery and there is no assurance as to how much of a recovery she will make, especially because there was such high pressure on her brain for so long.
Please pray she will continue to improve, for her sight to come back, that she will be able to walk soon and that she can eat normally by herself. Pray for her parents as they look after her and wash her etc.