Africa's intellectuals!

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/Africa-enslaved-intellectuals-to-be-pitied-or-despised/-/434750/1740998/-/item/1/-/12oqs98/-/index.html

Grateful for Life and grateful to be in USA

I am an African, recently moved to USA. I know I save money by making sure I continue meeting my scheduled medical check-ups. It is advisable to have atleast one health check a year or once every 12 months.  A medical/health check-up is a thorough physical exam including a variety of tests depending on presented complaint, age, sex and health of a person. A medical check-up has its advantage: it helps find problems before they start; help find problems earlier when the chances for treatment bring early cures; it helps one keep a healthier and longer life.

We all need to schedule appointments for medical check-ups. The following areas are opportunities for us to know about our bodies:

1.       Breast and Cervical  Cancer Early Detection

2.       Cholesterol

3.       Colorectal Cancer Screening

4.       Diabetes

5.       High Blood Pressure

6.       Immunizations

7.       Oral Health

8.       Prostate Cancer

9.       Skin Cancer

10.   Endocrine-diseases

11.   Cardio-Vascular diseases

12.   Lung

13.   weight check

14.   Ear, Neck and Eyes

15.   Bones

16.   HIV

17.   Viral Hepatitis
18. Neurological illnesses

Do not take things for granted. Schedule a time and tell your employee or people at home about your health check up at the nearest hospital. Make your life count by going for these check-ups.

My friends in need and indeed

I am so glad I did meet these friends.

I like going out to meet people. The other day,I wanted to have my hair done in styles I see in Hollywood movies. I mean, that afro that seems to stand smug straight on the head without a single hair falling out of position. My black hair. I want to grow it longer and may be later do the corn-rows. But, I wonder if that will not make me more like Samson of the Bible.

Where was I? Yes, my friends. The Dominican serves in a neighborhood Mac ( McDonald).I happened to have jogged a mile and wanted to rest because out of nowhere, it had started to snow. I then proceeded to look at the menu but got lost in all that culinary-mouth-wetting names-only Mac knows how to label and coin. This girl comes forward to help me. I asked too talk slowly, that way I could actually comprehend what she was saying. She must have made me as African. We became friends and she taught me how to order for things in a Mac!

The Kenyans remind me of religion. Somehow that is how they factor in my life in USA.

The Nigerians. They showed me the main streets.I became street-wiser!

The Liberian and Ghanaian. They did support in my earlier days in USA. I was made firmer in my resolve to do something, to engage myself in work because of them.

Ugandan Community. I do thank the Ugandan community for being examples of livelihood in USA.

Hang in their.

Wait, wait. What you can do to help a person living with HIV

Yesterday,I got thinking. We do and have done so much to fight HIV. Are you aware the trick is to have people living with HIV on ARVs in order to help them suppress the viral load. This way, they do not succumb to opportunistic infections (OI's). Support positive clubs, support clinics providing ARVs, support the health workers so that they remain motivated, support caregivers at home encourage those in their care adhere.

Help some one keep taking their ARV's

ARV's help in suppressing viral load. It helps one have defend against infections. How you can help: support a friend living with HIV take ARV's, support them have proper nutrition and exercise. Support the health workers coming into interface with persons living with HIV daily. Support the caregivers at home who take care of bed-ridden or house-bound persons. Give voice to the problems faced by people living with HIV.

Star Spangled banner in spring; poem by Thomas Rogers Muyunga Mukasa

This balmy spring,

Once again a welcome moment,

swans swimming in the pond,

the woodpecker bang, bang, bang.

 

An occasional clear sky,

The sun a fiery globe,

A puddle here and there,

The snow giving up its horde.

 

The banner on a lofty perch,

Spread fully by a blowing wind,

Dotted glimming glint,

Of random stars and stripes.

What goes around comes around

One day 10 years ago, in 2002. I was walking along Lake Victoria shores on Ssese Island. I was undecided over what form of transport would take me from this island back to the main land. As I was walking and conversing with the local fisher men, I realized someone was calling me by my pet-name. This name was known by very few people, among whom must be those who saw me grow up to 7 years when it was no longer used because I had then grown permanent teeth! The person who was calling me was the leader of the fishing community and up to today it is still amazing how he was able to recognize me after so many years. My father gave him some money back then to start a business of ferrying people by boats on a very different shore of Lake Victoria. He became so successful in the 30 years or so he has been in business. He now traverses Lake Victoria as he supervises his fleets of small boats and fish businesses. He eventually helped me get a ride in one of the boats that was returning to the main land.