Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Cereal with cold milk, toasted cheese sandwhiches and movie theatre popcorn

Hello All! Greetings from the South Africa sickie who will soon be returning to her Ugandan homeland!!! That’s right! I’ve gotten the all clear from Washington and will going back to Uganda within the next couple of days. There was a chance that I was going to be sent back to the States, but I’m happy to say that that crisis was averted. I’m very excited to be getting back and can’t wait to start preparing for the upcoming term. So, I bet you’re wondering what I’ve been doing since I’ve graced this country with my presence. Well, here are the highlights of my med evac trip:
I arrived in SA Dec. 17, so I’ve been here three weeks. I saw a specialist, who determined that I had kidney stones, that’s right people, more than one. The stone on my left side was what was causing all the problems because of its ginormous size (7-10mm). I had surgery, where they removed the stone (Dec. 23). Of course, I asked to keep the stone as a souvenir and they gave me the smaller parts that weren’t needed for analysis. I had arrived in country with a string of battery powered Christmas lights that had been given to me by another volunteer. I proceeded to drape these, alternately, on my hospital bed and myself. Hey, if I have to be in the hospital so close to Christmas, there is going to be some sort of festivity, whether provided by the hospital or by myself! I was released on Christmas day, went to lunch with Dr. Cedric, the PC APCMO and watched Christmas movies when I got back to my room. All in all, Christmas was not the lonely train wreck I thought it was going to be. It turned out to be quite pleasant.
In the three weeks that I’ve been here, I’ve been taking advantage of things that are not readily available in Uganda. I was showering twice a day for the first week because the water pressure is amazing (I have not had water pressure since being in Uganda). There is a TV with a movie channel(!) is my room, meaning I’ve probably killed all the brain cells I managed to grow back from my last 10 non-TV months. I’ve been to three malls, which have blown my mind. The first time I went to a mall, I knew I had a problem when I couldn’t stop smiling, just because I was in an actual, real life mall. I’ve seen a few movies and walk to the PC office for their lightning fast internet. Dr. Cedric took me to a nature reserve, where I saw some zebras and giraffes, up close and personal. I was also unaware of the length of the trip and managed to burn off the top layer of skin on my face, neck and collar bone area. Right now, I look like I’m suffering from a painful skin disease, as it’s peeling off in a non-uniform layer. This means that I have a new found respect for people who still hang out with me and complete adoration for those who pretend like I don’t look like a leper. While I’ve been here, I’ve also caught up so very necessary food options. There is KFC (which might possible be better here than in the US, but I don’t know how objective that opinion is…) and McDonald’s, so I’ve been hitting those up as much as possible (and paying for it later). There is also ice cream, cheese and milk galore, so those have been amply ingested, along with a smattering of candy bars and movie theatre popcorn. You have to get it in while you can!! And I’m absolutely not ashamed, though my body has been punishing me for the excessive intake of processed foods. However, it is a price I am always ready and willing to take. Damn the digestive gods, I tell you, damn them all!!
On Monday, I had my follow-up appt. with Doctor P. and everything went well. He said there was no reason I shouldn’t be able to go back to site health wise. I just need to make a few dietary adjustments and drink water like it’s nobody’s business. These are all completely doable, so I don’t foresee any immediate problems.
So, that’s been my life for the last few weeks. I had fun but am definitely ready to return to my life in Uganda, even if it means less chicken and more pancakes. Hope you all had nice holidays! Until next time-
~Rachael