Unwelcome Guests

ATTENTION: This blog entry contains some graphic content detailing physical sickness, read at your own discretion (it could be worse).

 

When crossing our one-year in Ethiopia mark (April 28^th), we specifically thanked God for the good health that we had experienced. Then, on Sunday afternoon while Skypeing with our friend, I mentioned that we hadn’t had any of the big sicknesses yet (malaria, amoeba, etc). Little did I know that the amoebas that had already taken up residence in me were about to throw a party later that night.

 

Sunday night rest was interrupted by two emergency trips to the bathroom, which I promptly blamed on the liver I had tasted at supper. But then, as the sun rose, my health fell…fast. Fever, headache, body aches, chills, stomach pain, cramps, exhaustion, some digestive issues and vomiting - all the signs of malaria. Thankfully, Andrea faithfully stayed by my side. Knowing that I had been in a malarial area a few times within the incubation period, we called Becky (our friend who is a nurse) and promptly went to a hospital for a blood test. After climbing one flight of stairs, I was completely wiped out. Seeing that I couldn’t sit still or hold my head up, a nurse finally offered me a bed in an adjacent room, where thankfully I was allowed to stay for the next hour or so (most people have to go downstairs for lab work). Andrea faithfully stayed by my side. The malaria test came back negative, however, even the nurses said, malaria tests are notoriously unreliable. So we decided to do the malaria treatment anyway (it’s better to take it and be wrong, than to not take it and be sorry). I stumbled out to the car (stopping for some dry-heaves into some bushes along the way). Andrea faithfully stayed by my side.

 

The rest of that Monday afternoon was miserable, but I was extremely thankful when the fever broke around 7pm. However, with the fever under control, the sickness became much more localized in the digestive track and my body’s urgent desire to eliminate everything inside of it. That is, whether through the front door or shooting out the back. Eating only a small bowl of rice that day, I crawled into bed around 9pm. Once again, Andrea faithfully stayed by my side. Then, as if the excitement was only beginning, I proceeded to make no less than 15 trips to visit “john” that night, and surprisingly, each time, Andrea got up with me (though not literally by my side!). Her concern grew as my deposits become more and more tainted with the color red. Malaria doesn’t act like that.

 

The next morning, Andrea promptly called Becky who took us to another clinic for a blood and stool test. When Becky turned in the stool sample, the lab technician said “Wow, this guy is really sick!” And sure enough, the stool sample resulted in “many red blood cells, white blood cells and amoebas.” The doctor gave me some medicines, a big fat bill and sent me on my way. Now, halfway through the antibiotics, things are much improved. The amoeba party has been busted and after three days on my back, I should be back in business soon. I do plan to mount a large sign for the future - “Amoeba’s Not Welcome.”  Yet still, Andrea faithfully stays by my side. I am humbled by Andrea’s faithful care for me, despite being nearly eight-and-a-half-months pregnant. I’m not worried though, with baby Sweet T soon to appear, I have plenty of opportunities to return the favor. I just hope I can serve her as well as she serves me.