Greetings and Salutations from Senegal!
I know it's been awhile since an update, and I'm sorry. It's been so busy for me the last couple weeks. Just to give y'all an update, the entire month of August was miserable for me! Miserable. I was on 4 different antibiotics in 4 weeks! Words cannont express how fed up with parasites I am. I litterally was sick the whole month! I even had to leave site for a week, come up to Dakar in a horrible and cramped overnight bus to see the Peace corps doctors. They tested me, tried to figure out what's wrong and according to the results, there was nothing wrong. Fortunately, I was persistant, and explained that despite what the tests say, I still have diarrhea, get nausiated after eating, and still endure a horrific stomach cramp ever time I eat. The doctor gave me some parasite meds, which I took immediately, then I headed back to site to spend Korite (the end of Ramadan) with my family. I travelled all day, got stuck in Velingara for the night, then I was forced to take a taxi back to my site (30K away) which was expensive, all because there was no transport on the holiday. Boo! But I made it home, and my family was happy. They had some meat and couscous with a very delicious onion sauce for the big meal. I ate a little, because I still wasn't fully healed. This Korite was much different from the one last year that's for sure--more low-key. I guess Tabaski is really the bigger, more important holiday.
Oh and the worst part about my return back to site, was that the meds kicked in.....because later that day I was passing the parasites. Yep, you guessed it: worms. Gross, I know. It was definetly the most disgusting moment of my life thus far. There were so many of them! Long. White. String-y. (Think Ramen noodles). So I'm not sure what kind they were?? Tape worm? Round worm? God only knows. I'm just happy they are gone, and I hope they never, ever come back, but that's probably just wishful thinkin. Guess I can cross pass intestinal parasites off the bucket list....
So I'm feeling pretty healthy :) Last week my foot got infected and the infection turned red and started spreading to my leg. Fortunately that's been taken care of too! What else? Oh Pam and I just finished a Fruit and Veggie transformation last week...I'll post about that tomorrow or something, and I've officially left site because after a little over a year in Senegal, I'm finally going on vacation!!!! So ready! I leave tonight, heading for Valencia, Spain--si Allah jaabi :) I am so looking forward to not Senegalese food and just a little bit of time to relax. After last month's reoccurent illnesses, I'm so ready for vacation....
Hay Gongol....
