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| Nizza - Nice |
Justified absence
Last week I didn't publish anything on the blog, because I was in Europe bringing home a sick confrere.
Fr Marcello, 70 years old (of which 40 of those years in Central Africa), had not been well for a few days. At first it looked like the usual malaria, but as the days passed the situation worsened, with the right side of the body semi-paralyzed. Ischemia? Stroke? Something else? Here in the area it isn't possible to carry out in-depth investigations, much less hypothesize surgical interventions.
On Thursday 24 February the superiors decided to send him to Italy, and asked me to accompany him. Organizing trips to Italy is always complicated, and even more so with a sick person, and with very little notice. But Providence is great, and so are the many people who have worked hard to succeed in this enterprise, which is just short of a miracle.
On Thursday morning, Fr Marcello arrived in Baoro, accompanied by Brother Aristide (professional nurse). In the afternoon we left for Bossemptele, 92 km away, where the Carmelite Sisters welcomed us for the night. We were all very worried, because he was unable to walk, to coordinate movements and began to have difficulty speaking.
Friday morning we left just before 5, and around 8.30 we were in Bangui, the capital. We went immediately for a Covid swab, hoping that it was negative and that it arrived in time for the departure of the plane. Everything went well: negative test, a little rest for Fr Marcello, and around 3 pm we arrived at the airport. We managed to do all the paperwork and passed all the checks, and around 5 pm the plane left. We had a long stopover in Cameroon, and at 11 pm we left for Paris, where we arrived at around 6 in the morning. We managed, very quickly, to move and take the next plane to Nice, where we arrive at around 9.
Here we found Father Davide, who came to pick us up, and we immediately left for the hospital in Pietra Ligure (Sv), where we entered the Emergency Room at around 10:30.
It took a long time, but after a CT scan, in the early afternoon, it turned out that it was not an ischemia, but rather some hematomas that put pressure on the brain. Fr Marcello was finally hospitalized in the ward, and after a meeting with the doctor, I was finally able to leave, leaving him in excellent hands.
Fr Marcello was then operated on on Tuesday, March 1st, and is slowly recovering.
Last week I didn't publish anything on the blog, because I was in Europe bringing home a sick confrere.
Fr Marcello, 70 years old (of which 40 of those years in Central Africa), had not been well for a few days. At first it looked like the usual malaria, but as the days passed the situation worsened, with the right side of the body semi-paralyzed. Ischemia? Stroke? Something else? Here in the area it isn't possible to carry out in-depth investigations, much less hypothesize surgical interventions.
On Thursday 24 February the superiors decided to send him to Italy, and asked me to accompany him. Organizing trips to Italy is always complicated, and even more so with a sick person, and with very little notice. But Providence is great, and so are the many people who have worked hard to succeed in this enterprise, which is just short of a miracle.
On Thursday morning, Fr Marcello arrived in Baoro, accompanied by Brother Aristide (professional nurse). In the afternoon we left for Bossemptele, 92 km away, where the Carmelite Sisters welcomed us for the night. We were all very worried, because he was unable to walk, to coordinate movements and began to have difficulty speaking.
Friday morning we left just before 5, and around 8.30 we were in Bangui, the capital. We went immediately for a Covid swab, hoping that it was negative and that it arrived in time for the departure of the plane. Everything went well: negative test, a little rest for Fr Marcello, and around 3 pm we arrived at the airport. We managed to do all the paperwork and passed all the checks, and around 5 pm the plane left. We had a long stopover in Cameroon, and at 11 pm we left for Paris, where we arrived at around 6 in the morning. We managed, very quickly, to move and take the next plane to Nice, where we arrive at around 9.
Here we found Father Davide, who came to pick us up, and we immediately left for the hospital in Pietra Ligure (Sv), where we entered the Emergency Room at around 10:30.
It took a long time, but after a CT scan, in the early afternoon, it turned out that it was not an ischemia, but rather some hematomas that put pressure on the brain. Fr Marcello was finally hospitalized in the ward, and after a meeting with the doctor, I was finally able to leave, leaving him in excellent hands.
Fr Marcello was then operated on on Tuesday, March 1st, and is slowly recovering.
On Saturday evening I managed to reach my family, in Cuneo, where I spent a few days.
The plan was to leave on Thursday, but it was not possible, because my visa for Central Africa had not arrived in time. On Friday, March 4th, I went to Paris, where I was able to collect my passport with the visa at the Central African Embassy. One day round trip!
So Sunday evening I left, together with Marco Olivero, a young man from Caraglio who will give us a hand for a few weeks here in Baoro.
A night in Paris, and on Monday we travelled to Bangui, where we arrived in the afternoon.
The first rains already arrived, and it was a feast for the eyes to see the green of the grass appear.
On Tuesday I worked on the construction site, and on Wednesday we left for Baoro, to resume the various commitments and work which were temporarily suspended. For justified absence.
The plan was to leave on Thursday, but it was not possible, because my visa for Central Africa had not arrived in time. On Friday, March 4th, I went to Paris, where I was able to collect my passport with the visa at the Central African Embassy. One day round trip!
So Sunday evening I left, together with Marco Olivero, a young man from Caraglio who will give us a hand for a few weeks here in Baoro.
A night in Paris, and on Monday we travelled to Bangui, where we arrived in the afternoon.
The first rains already arrived, and it was a feast for the eyes to see the green of the grass appear.
On Tuesday I worked on the construction site, and on Wednesday we left for Baoro, to resume the various commitments and work which were temporarily suspended. For justified absence.
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| Monastero Carmelitane - Savona |
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| Verduno |
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| Parigi - Paris |
a
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| Parigi - Collège des Bernardins |
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| Bangui |
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| Bangui - Lavori del nuovo convento Travaux du nouveau couvent |
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| Caffé |
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