The last two weeks have been extremely unexpected, fairly stressful and have involved a lot of medication! In my last blog I mentioned that I was feeling under the weather and unfortunately this did not pass but got much worse. I missed last Monday of school as I thought I had a tummy bug or had eaten something bad, Tuesday still feeling slightly like death warmed up I returned to school as I was worried about missing any more days. This it turns out was a big mistake!
By Wednesday morning I felt like I had flu and my stomach was being far from helpful. I contacted the doctor who told me to start antibiotics as soon as possible. I finally managed to sleep a little bit but woke up and felt extremely cold, shaky and really unwell. Deciding that this was something more serious the doctor told me to go to the hospital in Arusha. Strangely I have no memory of getting there but was able to get a lift in the school bus that was taking students on a trip.

At the hospital before you are seen by anyone you have to open and pay for a hospital file. To do this your details have to be registered at the reception desk where you then get a form to take to the accountant who you then pay and get a receipt to take back to the reception from where you get a file number. To make this process extra complicated I and another 30 sick people had to wait 45 minutes at reception for a receptionist. After quite a bit of waiting again the doctor then hurried the process through. Then I was off to A and E where it was decided that I should be admitted as an inpatient overnight on IV fluids. This meant having to go and pay a deposit and sign forms. Luckily Kelli, another volunteer, had come with me and sorted this and my insurance out for me and was just generally amazing throughout the whole thing! As I was so dehydrated the nurse had problems finding a vein and one week later I still have a technicolor hand! It wasn't until 11.30 that night they were able to get enough blood in one sample before my vein collapsed. I was told the next day if I hadn't been admitted when I was I might not have made it to morning or at least would have been in serious trouble.
On the ward I was given IV fluids, tablets and oral rehydration sachets. They did get concerned how ill I was and started to question if I had cholera, which was pretty scary! Luckily I didn't and got treated for suspected e.coli but then when it looked more serious dysentery (which I don't recommend to anyone!) Throughout the night a nurse came to check on me every few hours. This has now looking back provided me and Kelli with much laughter as on every occasion she would come in quickly and turn on the light and from 3am was accompanied by music playing loudly before telling me off for not drinking enough (in my defence I was trying to sleep!) It was really quite a funny experience and in the end Kelli and I gave up on sleep and binge watched Disney films. Fortunately I was discharged the next afternoon, although still fairly dehydrated, and was able to return to my own bed to sleep.

Now one week on, I've finally finished my antibiotics and am managing to eat small meals. I also have been given some zinc tablets courtesy of the World Health Organisation- thanks WHO! Tomorrow I am planning on going on a half day back to work and then am doing alternate days next week.

I don't really have much to add as the last two weeks have been quiet! I would recommend adult colouring books though for anyone with spare time on their hands. I've also had a lot of time to think but I will leave that for my next blog...