Turmeric, The Golden Healer

Our chickenpox quarantine unit has thinned out a bit, but just as we thought the itchy boils were on their way out, two more kids were sent down to live with us after contracting fresh cases. We now only have six children down here, but the two newbies, Maria and Manisha are in a lot of pain, with flu like symptoms and itching all over. Thangmaigam, Sharavan, Someshakar, Karun, and Swetha have been 'cured' and were sent back upstairs to make room in the infirmary.

Several times a day we strip, clean, and apply calamine lotion to the ones who have fresh pox. I feel terrible because there is not a whole lot we can do but give a tablet for the pain and apply the calamine. The pox are multiplying and spreading quickly to every part of their body including under their knickers. I can't imagine being in their position, young children with a painful illness and no mother or father to care for them.

Mercy applying the turmeric oil to Swetha

The other morning I walked into a room full of yellow children. Amma had made a paste from turmeric and oil and the kids were slathering each other with it. Turmeric can be used as an ayurvedic treatment to dry up the blisters and quicken the healing process. I have to admit, it was pretty amusing to see a room full of naked yellow children. After the paste dried, they each bathed with water neem leaves and burned their chickenpox clothes in the pit out back. Though an unfortunate time for these kids, I have once again learned a lot through it. I now know what to do in the future if my own kids get chickenpox, and in the process learned a few more Indian secrets.

Pox Attack

After 10 days without the children, we were really missing them and so ready to get back home to Bangalore. An exhausting and fast-paced trip made everything here seem sweeter, the air fresher, the grass greener (there's (some) grass here!), and the food we had grown bored of eating day after day suddenly seemed deliciously appetizing. Unfortunately, upon our return, we discovered that there had been an outbreak of the chicken pox during our absence. While the rest of the kids are finishing up their exams and getting geared up for their short summer vacation, these poor itchy ones are scratching and blistered from head to toe. From lice to chickenpox, I guess its always something when you are living with 65 children in close quarters.

While we were gone, our girls moved back upstairs with the other girls and younger boys. Rather than resuming our previous responsibilities with them, we are now running the infirmary, since the sickly ones have been sent down to be quarantined. At present, there are ten children sprawled about down here: Thangmaigam, Uday, Sharavan, Anjali, Thomas, Someshakar, Monica, Swetha, Mercy, and poor Karun who on top of the pox has a terrible case of conjunctivitis. We are trying our best to keep them out of our room, but it's more difficult than one might think. Luckily both Nina and I had chicken pox when we were children. Lets just hope that we are immune to the Indian strains as well, and pray for a quick recovery for these poor poxers.

On the bright side, we are getting to know a new group a little closer than we might have been able to before. Maybe the chickenpox can be a blessing!