Dysentery
We are having a hard time. Day before yesterday,
I started throwing up and having bad diarrhea. I had a terrible night where I
could hardly sleep. The next day, I went to the doctor. It turns out I had a
mild case of dysentery (a viral infection in the inestines). You get dysentery
by eating contaminated food. We're not sure exactly what I ate that was
contaminated, but we think it was probably a sausage that I had for breakfast or
the pork we had at lunch.
They dignose
these problems with a stool test (I'll spare you the sordid details). I'd hate
to know what a bad case of dysentery is like. The worst part is going to the
bathroom every half hour.
I got some
meds (Cipro) and am starting to feel a little better, but I am still unable to
eat much of anything. Yesterday I missed school. Last night was much better. I
was able to sleep through the whole
night!
The doctor visit was Q200 (about
US$25). The currency here is the Quetzal (which is a kind of bird). The doctor
was excellent, he spoke English, had studied in Europe, etc. The lab tests were
Q25 (about US$3) and the Cipro (10 tabs of 500 mg each) were Q54 (about
US$7).
This morning, Gage threw up and
is not feeling good. He is sleeping in the next room. I was going to go to
school today, but now I'm staying here with him, and only Leif and Roma are left
to go to school. I hope Gage feels better soon. I think he is missing the boat
and being "home."
Posted: Wed - May 18, 2005 at 08:29 PM