| dare to survive | | | | “Just keep driving,” said the ever-stoic Geoff. |
| | | | | Trevor did and miraculously the elephants parted and |
| chapter 1 | | | | let us through. |
| | | | | Eventually we arrived at Kariba at 2:30am and met |
| Ibelieve that we all just take life for granted until | | | | the only piece of negativity we found when the duty |
| something happens to bring us up short and make us | | | | nurses took one look at me and said, “Maiwee, |
| take stock of what we have in life. For me, it all | | | | maiwee! You cannot come here, we have no facilities. |
| started with a hyena... But NO! Actually it didn’t. It | | | | You must go to Harare.” |
| started before that. | | | | Harare was another five hours drive away. |
| Do you ever have times when your own words come | | | | Luckily, two Cuban doctors appeared and immediately |
| back to you? Each term, as the Head of a private, | | | | put me on a drip, administered painkillers, gave me an |
| primary school in the farming town of Chipinge on the | | | | anti-tetanus injection, rabies vaccine and sewed up my |
| south-eastern border of Zimbabwe I chose a key | | | | thumb, apologising that they could do nothing for my |
| word and based my assemblies around this word. | | | | face. They really gave me a good Z$120 worth which |
| In the middle term of 2003, I chose the word | | | | was what government clinics charged at that time. |
| Challenges, and in the 3rd term - Attitude. The stories, | | | | In the meantime, after many phone calls, Trevor had |
| homilies, quotations, etc that I spoke about to the | | | | managed to get hold of my sister, Barbara, in Harare. |
| children certainly set me up for my start to 2004. | | | | She contacted MARS, the Medical Air Rescue |
| My daughter, Jenna had phoned me. | | | | Service who agreed to come and fetch me. BUT, can |
| “Mom, would you and Jim like to come on a fishing | | | | you believe this? As there was an air-traffic |
| trip on the River for New Year?” The river was the | | | | controllers’ strike in progress they were only able |
| Zambesi River on the border between Zimbabwe and | | | | to land in Kariba when it was light. |
| Zambia. My husband, Jim, opted not to join the party | | | | Trevor, meanwhile, went into Kariba town to find the |
| as he reckoned he had done enough camping in his | | | | airport manager who had the keys to open up the |
| lifetime. I phoned to tell Jenna that I’d love to go but | | | | airport. After much running around he came back with |
| that Jim wouldn’t. She laughed and said that her | | | | the manager’s keys, just for the main security gate! |
| Dad, my first husband, Geoff, was going to come but | | | | Just before the expected time of the plane’s |
| his wife, Avril, wouldn’t, for exactly the same | | | | arrival, Trevor was going to transfer me into his car so |
| reason as Jim, and asked if Jim would mind me going if | | | | that there would be no delay at the airport when the |
| Geoff was on his own. Well, no one minded, so that | | | | plane landed. Here, the hospital staff refused to |
| was okay. | | | | release me as they were ‘responsible’ for me |
| About fourteen of us met up in Harare at sun-up, | | | | and I had to travel in the hospital ambulance, but the |
| loaded the vehicles with all our camping gear, fishing | | | | driver would have to ‘jump start’ it for them |
| rods, beer and wine, food and other essentials. In a | | | | after they had located him! Well, Trevor took one look |
| wonderful, light-hearted holiday spirit, we all set out in | | | | at the ambulance and said that under no |
| convoy for Mongwe, thirty kilometres downstream | | | | circumstances was his mother-in-law going in that |
| from Chirundu, on the banks of the mighty Zambezi | | | | ‘death trap’! It really was horrendous, literally tied |
| River, which forms the boundary between Zimbabwe | | | | together with wire and tyres worn down to the metal! |
| and Zambia, a really unique and special area of | | | | After much argument, Trevor drove to the airport to |
| Zimbabwe – in fact, the whole of the Zambezi | | | | fetch the doctor and nursing sister to bring them back |
| Valley is spectacular. The first part of the journey to | | | | to Kariba Hospital. |
| Makuti took a few hours on good tar roads. We then | | | | They were great, examined me and agreed that I |
| wound our way downwards into the Zambesi Valley, | | | | could travel in Trevor’s 4x4 with them in |
| the tar becoming narrower, the heat increasing, until we | | | | attendance. Reaching the airport, the pilots apologised |
| turned off the road and travelled down an indistinct, | | | | for not arriving sooner. I was soon ensconced in the |
| winding dirt track through the bush. As it was the rainy | | | | Air Ambulance and in the air. The MARS doctor and |
| season, occasionally one of the vehicles would | | | | sister were superb, very efficient and reassuring. |
| flounder in the mud, as we crossed rivers and elephant | | | | During the flight they radioed ahead to the Avenues |
| tracks, and it would have to be pulled out by one of | | | | Clinic for a receiving surgeon to be waiting for me and |
| the 4X4s. | | | | to have a plastic surgeon on stand-by. |
| The convoy eventually arrived at our destination by | | | | Upon my arrival at the Clinic, things went pretty much |
| mid-afternoon, an abandoned fishing camp that was | | | | according to the TV Soaps, where I was handed over |
| being resuscitated by my son-in-law, Trevor, and a | | | | to the doctors and plastic surgeon, X-rayed, prepared |
| few of his friends, who had gone into partnership in the | | | | for theatre, operated on, and then sent to the wards. |
| venture. There were quite a few of these camps | | | | Contrary to what I had been led to believe would |
| along the Zambezi that had previously been owned by | | | | happen in Zimbabwe at that time, my treatment and |
| white Zimbabweans. The owners had been chased | | | | nursing was second to none and I have nothing but |
| away by ‘freedom fighters’ and National | | | | praise for all the people who attended to me. They |
| Parks had taken over the camps. Now seriously | | | | were all highly skilled and very caring. We were so |
| neglected, National Parks were inviting these same | | | | fortunate in that country to have had so many |
| white Zimbos back to the camps to try and put them | | | | dedicated and highly thought of specialists practising |
| right again and encourage tourism. They could see | | | | there – quite a few of whom are still doing so. |
| how beautiful the developments on the Zambian side | | | | Meanwhile my poor husband, who was in Chipinge |
| of the river were and how popular they were for | | | | where we lived at that time, had been told by my elder |
| holidays and fishing trips and how tourists were pouring | | | | daughter Alison, who lived on a farm in Middle Sabi, |
| into the area across the river. | | | | that I had been attacked and dragged by my head by |
| This particular camp was set right on the banks of the | | | | a hyena, the message she had received. Fearing the |
| river on quite a steep slope. A fairly basic ablution | | | | worst, he packed his funeral suit and set off for |
| block was perched on the top with spectacular views | | | | Harare, planning my service and choosing hymns on |
| of the river, which you could enjoy whilst taking a | | | | the way. He was actually highly relieved to see me |
| shower. Halfway down the slope was a dilapidated | | | | alive! |
| double storey stone and thatch building. Upstairs was a | | | | I am sure that I was on half the prayer lists in the |
| large half-walled sleeping area. Downstairs was a | | | | country upon my arrival in Harare and probably most |
| basic kitchen and sitting and dining area. This was in a | | | | of the others by the time I was in theatre. It was |
| really bad state of repair and needed a good clean, so | | | | incredible how quickly the news had spread. I do |
| we all set about with brooms to make the place | | | | believe that I am living proof that prayers are |
| habitable. Jenna and Trevor were to sleep there with | | | | answered. From the moment that hyena let go of me, |
| their children and the rest of us set about erecting our | | | | everything was positive. |
| tents on the river bank. By now, the beer and wine | | | | I did lose my eye but the surgeon managed to |
| was flowing and humour was at a high. | | | | re-attach my eye-lid, which is a big plus for holding in a |
| We had been having an idyllic time, fishing, boating, | | | | false eye. He had hopes of finding tear ducts but this |
| eating, drinking, talking, and just enjoying the wonderful | | | | was not to be. After the first operation he thought he |
| ambience of the African bush - as one does on the | | | | would have to do a couple of skin grafts, but during |
| banks of that incredible river. On the 2nd January we | | | | the second operation ten days later he found that it |
| had spent the morning fishing, drifted down the river | | | | wasn’t necessary. My face, especially the eyelid, |
| for a late afternoon drink, returned to camp, had a | | | | was very swollen, needing to be massaged for at |
| wonderful, gourmet-type meal - in true Zimbabwe | | | | least half an hour three times a day. This, my husband |
| fashion we had taken two cooks with us, who even | | | | did. I would then lie back and revel in the joys of |
| managed to produce freshly baked bread each day. | | | | formication (note the letter “m”), following the |
| We had been sitting around reminiscing about the | | | | stimulation to my face. I never cease to be amazed at |
| good, old, bad days, enjoying the odd glass of wine or | | | | my recovery. Having been for various neuro-scans, it |
| six as one often does, listening to the noises of the | | | | appeared that the nerves in both my face and hands |
| night – the loud barks of the baboons, the hoarse | | | | were working - more or less. |
| coughs of the hyenas, the occasional roar of lions and | | | | The bone man managed to put my very graunched |
| the musical sound of the Christmas beetles. Just | | | | hand back together with skewers and skill. It took him |
| beautiful! | | | | three operations and six months but I have just about |
| At about 9:30pm we all decided to retire for the night. | | | | full movement back. When I said to him, |
| Isn’t it amazing how tired one gets doing nothing all | | | | ‘Thank you so much, I was really worried about my |
| day? I settled into my little tent (one of those two-man | | | | hand,’ his reply was, |
| affairs made for undersized midgets!). It was | | | | ‘So was I – but you know something? This had |
| extremely hot and sultry, so after about an hour of | | | | so much to do with getting it right.’ – and he |
| tossing and turning I decided to sleep on the stretcher I | | | | tapped me on the head! |
| had outside my tent. The tent was too small for the | | | | Fourteen operations later, I am amazed at my |
| stretcher to fit inside! I must admit, that as I arranged | | | | recovery and cannot believe how good my face is |
| my pillow and sheet on the stretcher, the thought of | | | | when I look back and remember how mutilated it was. |
| wild animals did cross my mind but I instantly dismissed | | | | My eye socket was reconstructed, using the mucus |
| the idea, settled down and was soon fast asleep. | | | | membrane from my mouth, so that it could hold a |
| At ten to midnight I was jerked to wakefulness by the | | | | glass eye which looks fine but doesn’t see too well. |
| sound of the scrunching of bones and the most | | | | Much worse things happen to other people. I am still |
| disgusting smell. Confused and disorientated, at first I | | | | alive. My injuries could have been much more horrific. |
| didn’t know what was going on, but I soon realised | | | | The response of my family and friends, and total |
| that the bones being scrunched were my bones, as a | | | | strangers were wonderful. The prayers, support, good |
| hyena bit into my face and hand and started dragging | | | | wishes, flowers and gifts given to us by so many |
| me up the steep slope. I screamed and screamed, | | | | were unbelievable. People raised and donated, what I |
| fighting desperately as though my life depended on it | | | | considered to be, vast amounts of money to help |
| – which I suppose it really did – and thinking that | | | | towards my medical expenses. This I found very |
| my end was insight! It must have been only a few | | | | difficult to accept as I had always been one of the |
| seconds before the brute, realising that he’d bitten | | | | people who organised this sort of thing. |
| off more than he could chew, let me go and vanished | | | | Zimbabwe was, and still is, still a very caring society to |
| into the night. As I knelt in the dirt, the blood pouring | | | | live in. People saw what needed doing and did it. I |
| from my face, I realised that my hands and feet still | | | | arrived home to a full freezer and fridge and a house |
| worked and that I could still think so I must be all right! | | | | full of flowers and meals. My little school was in |
| I was actually a bit of a mess. My eye was in my ear, | | | | perfect running order, as I knew it would be. |
| my ear was hanging off, my face was a bloody pulp, | | | | When something horrific happens to you, it makes you |
| my thumb was nearly detached from my hand and | | | | stop and take stock of all that you have. It enables you |
| my arms were torn to shreds. | | | | to put things into perspective and to realize what is |
| My son-in-law, Trevor Gilbert and a friend picked me | | | | important in your life. So often we take everything for |
| up and carried me to the thatched A-frame, where | | | | granted and don’t appreciate all that is good in our |
| they sat me in the light. My daughter Jenna and her | | | | lives. We let little things niggle us, tend to be judgmental |
| friend, Kim, then proceeded to put me together, | | | | and let things get out of proportion. Pull yourself up |
| cleaning up all my wounds and bandaging them. What | | | | short. Think about your life and all you have to be |
| a dreadful thing for a daughter to have to do for her | | | | thankful for. Focus on what is important. Show your |
| mother, but both she and Kim managed superbly. | | | | gratitude. Dare to survive. |
| Luckily, Trevor is one of those people who have to | | | | Since my ‘Hyena Incident’ I have met a vast |
| have the best of everything and so his First Aid Kit | | | | number of people who have survived incredible |
| was the best on the market. It included saline drips | | | | traumas and believe they have come out as better |
| which were used to clean all my wounds. | | | | people. They have such positive attitudes and are |
| I was put onto the front passenger seat of the 4x4 | | | | wonderful people and an inspiration to speak to. They |
| that had been laid flat. Geoff held my head and Trevor | | | | dared to survive. You don’t have to go through |
| drove me back through the bush to the hospital in | | | | trauma to have a survival attitude and a positive |
| Kariba, the nearest small town. I could hear Trevor and | | | | mindset. Remember that life is ten percent what |
| Geoff talking. | | | | happens to you and ninety percent how you respond |
| “Don’t let her fall asleep Geoff,” said Trevor. | | | | to it. You have the ability to respond and therefore the |
| “She’s lost lots of blood, she’ll go into | | | | ‘responsibility’ for your life. Our past responses |
| shock.” | | | | have brought us to the place where we are at now. Is |
| Every elephant and his friend seemed to be on that | | | | it a place that you like to be in or does it need |
| bush track that night and weren’t too keen to get | | | | changing? You can change your life if you really want |
| out of the way. | | | | to. Live life positively. Dare to survive, thrive and lead a |
| “Oh no!” yelled Trevor, “The elies are | | | | wonderful life. |
| blocking the way. I can’t get through.” | | | | |