Thursday, April 4, 2013

Missin my village!

Well the last month has been interesting and as always proof I'm not in Kansas...Ohio...umm the United States anymore. It all started at the end of some traveling I did with a few volunteers. A couple nights in a row I had a fever and my lower abdomen was starting to hurt. The night before I got back to my village I stayed in a gesti (hostel) with 2 other girls and thats when I felt horrendous. I had a fever  that was so bad I was laying with only a kanga wrapped around me sweating so much that the entire bed was soaked through all while shivering like there is no tomorrow and had some wicked abdominal pain. I finally manged to get up and go hunt for the shower to wash all the sweat off myself. Well there was a doctor in the gesti and after one look at me he insists I go to his hospital and test for Malaria. I still have no idea how I managed to pull myself together enough to walk to the hospital. He was a great person and really helpful, he tested me (negative), gave me medicine for my fever and put me in a taxi back to the gesti all for about $1.

The next day, by the time I get back to my village I  was once again laid out with the fever and the pain which is getting worse.I just took medicine and slept until the next day. The next day I woke up to about 50 babies screaming and realize it muct be a busy clinic day ( the clinic is about 10 steps away from my house), and I should get up and make my way there. I then realize I am in so much pain I can not stand up. I text the nurse that I am really sick and in too much pain to walk, so she comes to my house but the door is locked so she can't get in.After about a half hour so slow moving I manage to get up and open the door. The nurse has two guys carry me to the clinic and I spend about the next two hours laying on the bed there.After taking pain meds, drinking a ton of water and sleeping a little the pain and fever are worse then ever so I call the Peace Corps Doctor and basiaclly cry to him "HEEELLP ME, I FEEL LIKE I AM DYING." Within an hour a car from the local hospital comes to pick me up and take me to the nearest city, Dodoma, which is about a 2 hour car ride away. THAT was the most painful 2 hours of my life. Its all a dirt road until about the last 45 minutes. With every bump I was crying out in pain feeling like my abdomen was going to burst. I spent about 3 hours at a clinic in Dodoma having different tests done and IVs hooked up to me. Luckily a couple other volunteers came to see me bearing gossip magazines and snickers =). The Peace Corps Doctor was on his way to get me from Dar es Salaam but he had a good 6-8 hour drive. After finishing up at the clinic me and the other 2 volunteers went to on of their houses. Bless their hearts for all they did for me- helped me walk, sit, stand, lay down etc. They were so awesome.

The next morning me and the doc head to Dar because thats where the fancy hospitals are with the best care. Also, PC headquarters along with the medical office is located in Dar. We go to one clinic and they do some blood work, xrays and a CT scan. They ruled out that I had appendicitis and all other life threatening conditions.Next we head to the fanciest hospital I have ever seen and thats were I am admitted and spend the next 15 days. When I first arrived on a Friday they told it seemed like I cut myself while shaving with dirty water and got an infection. Which hey, that can happen when the water in your village looks like this.
Anyways, on that Friday they said it should clear up and I would be on my way on Monday. By the time Monday rolled around I a had a bacterial infection spreading down my leg and I was still in pain with some massive  lymph nodes. Finally after many days and meds the infection localized into a mass which needed surgically removed. After getting approval from Washington to have general anesthesia the last thing I remember was being in the operating room, someone putting meds in my IV telling me it was time to sleep then the beginning of a conversation about Tanzanian beers I like, I am curious as to how long that conversation lasted.  The doc took a culture of the fluid and tissue and sent it to Nairobi...results bado (not yet)  Then I woke up, had staples in my leg, spent a few more(many) days in the hospital then I was released. I have to say that there were actually certain things from the hospital that were worthy of being missed- the ocean view and watching the sunset over it everyday, AIR CONDITIONING, fresh smoothies and grilled cheese on my demand....ummm pressing a button and having someone come running?

I had to stick around Dar for about a week and a half until getting my staples out so one of the PC staff hooked me up with his friend who was going on vaca and needed a house/dog sitter. I am actually still at the house for a couple more days and I can tell you that I am absolutely spoiled. The house is so gorgeous  but thats not even what matters, it has running water!!! a shower...with hot water!!!!! wifi!!!!!  air conditioning!!! a dog that I can snuggle with and take on walks!!! Lets just say village dogs aren't exactly cuddly.
I got the staples out of my leg today and cant wait to get back to my village!!!I do however  I think after living with all these convinces for so long that it could be a rough adjustment period....but it's only a matter of time until I am back to showering once a week, wondering if I am really tan or just really dirty, running around barefoot, preaching about condoms in Swahili while sweating my ass off and loving every minute of it. Peace Corps oh Peace Corps...I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am also considering not shaving again until I get back to America.

1 comment:

  1. oh my gracious! i'm so glad you're okay!! that sounds like such an awful experience (at least until after surgery). xoxo, francine

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