Comfortable

Wednesday, March 21, 2012  Day12

So is the life in Africa that I had to miss a day of writing for fear that I had malaria…

Last week Dr. Karen returned from Freetown with a nasty illness. It was significant enough that she was given a full course of IV fluids, phenergan and malaria treatment. Then on Sunday when we were in the tiny smothering hot church house, Dr. Tom had to excuse himself because of nausea and vomiting. He has not been feeling well since either. So yesterday of course my stomach began to cramp. We were working an eye clinic in Gbendembu and it was so unbearably hot that I could not eat lunch. After we packed everything up and headed out, my achy nauseated stomach had to endure the 2.5h drive down the unpaved, red dirt, washed out Kamakwie Road. To my recollection, I have not properly attempted to describe the conditions of the road and that is primarily because it is just that…INDESCRIBABLE!

But I shall indeed try. It is, if I recall correctly 50 miles of the most rugged terrain that you could ever imagine that a normal car could pass through. It is torturous and eroded- worse than any logging road I have ever seen in the piney woods of Northwest Louisiana! One would think almost that it had been cleared using an army tank or a herd of elephants. There are holes big enough for the truck to fit inside, better referred to as “craters” than potholes. It makes you wonder how Mother Nature could be so cruel to one piece of land, but then again I suppose there is reason in all God’s doing. Anyhow, I digress.

My point in stating all this is that the road alone is enough to make you sick, even if you don’t start out with a belly ache.

By the time we reached Kamakwie, I was really not feeling so great. I tried to not let on at first, thinking it would get better or go away after I ate. I forced down some supper, but things only got worse. Then my head began to feel hot. I went to bed at 8pm with a fever, two ibuprofen, a stomachache, and a prayer for anything but malaria.

I awoke this morning feeling very weak, but the general condition has improved throughout the day. (I’m quite sure now that it is NOT malaria, despite the close call.) So much so that I was able to join the other girls here on my afternoon off to get our hair “planted” as they say. I spent about 40minutes this afternoon with my head and neck being contorted in all different directions by tow of the local girls until finally I am able to say that I am currently sporting a hairstyle unlike any other I’ve ever had. There are more than a dozen braids twisting and twining across the curvature of my scalp until finally they all conjoin into one large gathering in the back center of my head. Each braid sticks through individually, resembling somewhat; I’m sure, the head of Medusa. It is very original and though I can hardly stand the sight of it, the people here really seem to enjoy it. I’m sure on some level they find it amusing and ridiculous, but all the little girls come to us saying how much they like “our style”. It is very entertaining for me as well. If for no other reason than just to watch their expressive responses.

Phillip and I had a very long talk with Bud and Judy tonight about family, growing older and again in general. It’s very interesting too because I am certain their children are all very much older than either of us, each having families of their own; so it is always nice to get their input on raising a family and the differences and changes they have seen with their children and grandchildren. It just makes you stop and think about things a little, especially when you are so far removed from family and everything you once found comfortable.

I’ve learned…NOTHING is comfortable in Africa.

But it is always nice to know that someone else has been in your shoes before… and they’re still walking.