Friday, June 12, 2009

Uganda Update

I have been really bad at updating my blog, mostly because I never can get a good internet connection long enough to write, but today I am going to try and update well enough that I can paint a good picture of some of my great experiences here. First of, one of the most dramatic parts of my experiences here has been a little health scare we had. I can write about it now because it is pretty much over and so I know it's going to be OK. I had been sick for about ten days and so finally my country director Melissa made me go see Dr. Nyombi. He is the man who we rent our house from. Right before I went two others from the group went and tested positive for malaria. They made a total of three cases of malaria in the group, thus our decision to finally go to the doctor. We went and he said we needed to do a blood test but that my vitals were all very good, not the numbers of someone sick, so at least I had a strong heart. We got the test results back and were shocked to find out that I had not only malaria but typhoid as well. He promptly gave me the medicine we needed and we went home. I went back and forth between wanting to cry and wanting to laugh because this is classic me, I can't just get malaria, I had to get typhoid too. But I have finished the malaria pills and the malaria is all gone. The typhoid has been a cause for debate in our house because after I was tested we decided that everyone in the house should be tested for either disease and after testing almost everyone we had 13 or so cases of typhoid. Then we learned that if you get tested for typhoid within 6 months of typhoid immunizations your test will come out positive. So most people stopped their typhoid pills but I talked to my doctor in America and he said I had all the symptoms of typhoid but it would be very hard to test for and so I should continue taking the medicine because if it isn't typhoid it is something else that this medicine would cure and I can't risk going off the medicine. I am doing much better now, I am able to go out on projects and actually able to get up and walk to the gate surrounding our house without getting exhausted. I actually feel really good other than pains in my stomach which still could be a problem but we are looking into it.
Other than health problems life has been awesome here. I couldn't ask to be in a better place this summer. I am working on a huge project which will be the largest festival that Lugazi has ever had and it will be an Aids awareness festival as well as combining small and large scale agricultural projects that we have been working on all summer that we have been teaching the people and also having the womens groups I have been working with and they will be able to sell their crafts there at the festival. It will be amazing and so far the Minister of Health is coming, the Prime Minister and hopefully the Ambassador. This is a huge event and I can't wait to head it up.
So much is going on but I don't have a lot of time to write more about it. I will try and post again soon. To sum it up, I love Uganda and the people here. This is the best summer of my life and I am the happiest I have ever been. I miss my family very much but I couldn't ask to be doing a better work or to be serving a better people.

3 comments:

  1. Oh Becca... I have much, much, much sympathy for you. Not to dishearten you, but it will take some weeks before you are REALLY up and going again. Take it from someone who knows. I never did actually test positive for malaria. I'm just lucky I guess. I'm glad you're up and doing better. There are few things more terrifying than being gravely ill in a 3rd world country. I know exactly what you mean, too, when you say you have never been happier. It's a genuinely magnificent feeling to utterly lose yourself in the sacred work of service. This time in your life will be a blessing that will stay with you forever. The people you will meet, you never forget. You have my continued support as you engage in this marvelous mission of mercy. I hope you recover quickly. Take care of yourself, ok?

    Hugs,

    Andrea

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  2. Becca, seriously, typhoid? You really are an overachiever, aren't you?

    Get better soon! We're praying for you.

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  3. Your Volunteer work was highly appreciated!!
    Though, so sorry for the challenges you came a cross in Africa.

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