When it Rains...
... stuff grows.
So grab your rubber boots.
When some people travel to tropical or subtropical places, they catch something called Dengue Fever. It's an illness carried by mosquitoes, and is caused by the same virus family that causes West Nile (Google it if it interests you). Other people travel to developing countries, and contract an illness known as Typhoid Fever. This familiar-sounding fever is contracted when a food or drink contaminated by the feces of a carrier of the disease is consumed. Both are fairly serious illnesses, and take a good amount of time for recovery (according to my extensive research).
However, there are some people in the world who are a little more ambitious than these aforementioned travelers. Something within them says, "Go big or go home!" and they won't settle for just one of these illness. These people's inner-drive causes them contract both fevers, simultaneously! "Bring it on!" they say.
Apparently, I am one of these people.
Long story short, after about 5 days of re-occurring fever and various other symptoms, my husband informs me that he is taking me to a doctor. A couple days, some medication, and a blood-test later, the doctor informs me that I do have typhoid fever, as she suspected. "You also," she continues, "have dengue fever." I laugh. The doctor smiles sympathetically at my husband.
So, to spare you the marvels of what I have discovered in the ceiling of my bedroom in the last two weeks, I will instead report on the highlights of my recovery time, up until now.
1) The Mexican Emergency Room
Does the sound of that not frighten you? I don't care who you are, if you've never been to a Mexican emergency room, that sounds terrifying. Like a reaaally bad western. Hospitals are bad enough, wherever you are. You go in there and you're thinking: Why does that nurse look like she wants to kill me? What is that smell? Am I going to have to wear a gown like that guy? How many needles is this going to involve? Why is this curtain so small? The guy next to me can see my toes...
Now, imagine all that, but in Mexico where you can't understand what anyone is saying (let alone what the label on the bottle of fluid next to your bed says), you're feverish, and your husband promises not to let them amputate your arm unnecessarily. Well, as it turns out, this Mexican emergency room was quite the same a Canadian one, and I received care from one of the most attentive and genuinely concerned doctors that I have met. Nice!
2) My Bedside Buddy
I have had a handful of amazing people looking after me in the past couple of weeks (more on them later), but perhaps none quite as faithful as the loyal Inka. She sleeps when I sleep. She eats when I eat. She even went so far as to poop in the house one day so she wouldn't have to wake me up and get me out of bed to let her out! Now that's dedication. Of course someone had to clean it up, which lead me to my next highlight...
3) The Justin
He should really be the number one highlight. Working his normal workday, doing all the chores, carting me around from clinic to clinic, cleaning up messes (namely Inka's), waking up in the middle of the night because of the child-proof pill packages, and cooking delicious meals to tempt my appetite (which, by the way, all contain either spinach or avocado. The doctor said to make sure I get my greens, and he has taken this to heart, and come up with a surprising variety of delicious green dishes). I could go on, but I feel I have already embarrassed him enough, and I think you get the point. He's great.
4) Popsicles
I don't feel this needs explaining.
5) FAMILY! (and friends, who might as well be family)
Seriously! How can one person get blessed with so many awesome people? From prayers sent my way from far-off countries, encouraging emails from friends, get-well cards from my little kiddos at R&W, I feel so honoured to have such wonderful people who care about me. Justin and I also have the pleasure of his parents visiting Mazatlan with a team of people, and their presence here has been divine timing, and an unspeakable blessing. From waking up to fresh-squeezed orange juice next to my bed, or just someone to talk to, I am so thankful for them.
Well, that's a long one folks! Hopefully it makes up for the missed post (in case someone out there is actually keeping track). I'll catch up with you later. In the mean time, I'm going to go splash in some puddles.
So grab your rubber boots.
When some people travel to tropical or subtropical places, they catch something called Dengue Fever. It's an illness carried by mosquitoes, and is caused by the same virus family that causes West Nile (Google it if it interests you). Other people travel to developing countries, and contract an illness known as Typhoid Fever. This familiar-sounding fever is contracted when a food or drink contaminated by the feces of a carrier of the disease is consumed. Both are fairly serious illnesses, and take a good amount of time for recovery (according to my extensive research).
However, there are some people in the world who are a little more ambitious than these aforementioned travelers. Something within them says, "Go big or go home!" and they won't settle for just one of these illness. These people's inner-drive causes them contract both fevers, simultaneously! "Bring it on!" they say.
Apparently, I am one of these people.
Long story short, after about 5 days of re-occurring fever and various other symptoms, my husband informs me that he is taking me to a doctor. A couple days, some medication, and a blood-test later, the doctor informs me that I do have typhoid fever, as she suspected. "You also," she continues, "have dengue fever." I laugh. The doctor smiles sympathetically at my husband.
So, to spare you the marvels of what I have discovered in the ceiling of my bedroom in the last two weeks, I will instead report on the highlights of my recovery time, up until now.
1) The Mexican Emergency Room
Does the sound of that not frighten you? I don't care who you are, if you've never been to a Mexican emergency room, that sounds terrifying. Like a reaaally bad western. Hospitals are bad enough, wherever you are. You go in there and you're thinking: Why does that nurse look like she wants to kill me? What is that smell? Am I going to have to wear a gown like that guy? How many needles is this going to involve? Why is this curtain so small? The guy next to me can see my toes...
Now, imagine all that, but in Mexico where you can't understand what anyone is saying (let alone what the label on the bottle of fluid next to your bed says), you're feverish, and your husband promises not to let them amputate your arm unnecessarily. Well, as it turns out, this Mexican emergency room was quite the same a Canadian one, and I received care from one of the most attentive and genuinely concerned doctors that I have met. Nice!
 |
| A most flattering picture of Yours Truly. I have lost all shame in my need to have proof I was there. |
I have had a handful of amazing people looking after me in the past couple of weeks (more on them later), but perhaps none quite as faithful as the loyal Inka. She sleeps when I sleep. She eats when I eat. She even went so far as to poop in the house one day so she wouldn't have to wake me up and get me out of bed to let her out! Now that's dedication. Of course someone had to clean it up, which lead me to my next highlight...
 |
| Inka! |
3) The Justin
He should really be the number one highlight. Working his normal workday, doing all the chores, carting me around from clinic to clinic, cleaning up messes (namely Inka's), waking up in the middle of the night because of the child-proof pill packages, and cooking delicious meals to tempt my appetite (which, by the way, all contain either spinach or avocado. The doctor said to make sure I get my greens, and he has taken this to heart, and come up with a surprising variety of delicious green dishes). I could go on, but I feel I have already embarrassed him enough, and I think you get the point. He's great.
 |
| Spinach, lettuce and avocado sandwich! |
4) Popsicles
I don't feel this needs explaining.
5) FAMILY! (and friends, who might as well be family)
Seriously! How can one person get blessed with so many awesome people? From prayers sent my way from far-off countries, encouraging emails from friends, get-well cards from my little kiddos at R&W, I feel so honoured to have such wonderful people who care about me. Justin and I also have the pleasure of his parents visiting Mazatlan with a team of people, and their presence here has been divine timing, and an unspeakable blessing. From waking up to fresh-squeezed orange juice next to my bed, or just someone to talk to, I am so thankful for them.
 |
| A card from some of the kids at R&W |
Well, that's a long one folks! Hopefully it makes up for the missed post (in case someone out there is actually keeping track). I'll catch up with you later. In the mean time, I'm going to go splash in some puddles.
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