South Africa

This post has some information about medical stuff, read at your own risk

My trip to S.A. began on Sunday, March 16. Let me backtrack a little first. I had been in Addis Ababa from March 2nd-13th. I flew to Bahir Dar on the 13th, got back to site around 11:30 am and spent the day seeing friends and packing for my trip to S.A. I left Injibara on the 14th to stay in Bahir Dar for an early flight on the 15th. For a few days, all I did was travel. The flight from Ethiopia to S.A. is about 5 hours, luckily I was able to watch some T.V. shows and a movie.
On Monday, I had a meeting first thing in the morning with PC doctors. Then around 11:30, I had an appointment with Pretoria Eye Institute. This appointment led to me having to have surgery on Tuesday. I was put under so that the doctors could put a syringe into my tear ducts and flush anything that may be causing an obstruction. The doctors were also going to be sticking a q-tip type thing into my nose and squirting a dye through the syringe to see if the dye would come out on the tear duct, that is how they confirmed that there was no longer an obstruction. The procedure went well. I arrived around 7 am, was taken back into a room where I rested/slept until around 11:30ish. The procedure took about half an hour. I rested afterwards and left around 2:30. It was a long, tiring day, but now my eye doesn't water! I went back for a follow up on Wednesday. The doctor said everything went well and he had no idea what caused my tear duct to clog. On Thursday I saw an ENT. I also had a CT scan and blood taken. The PC doctors think that while I'm down here we should see what is causing the headaches. And I was right, it's my sinuses. The ENT took a flexible scope and put that in my nose first, then he took a medical scoop with a camera. It wasn't too bad. The conclusion is that I have a deviated septum and my maxillary and sphenoid sinuses have the start of inflammation or I have chronic sinusitis (thanks dad). I'll be on Augmentin/Amoxicillian  and a nasal spray for 6 weeks. I go back to the ENT on Tuesday to get the results of the blood work, which is testing what I'm allergic to.

It hasn't been all doctors though. When I got here, I met a PCV from Madagascar and there was a PCV from Ethiopia. They showed me the Brooklyn Mall, which I have been there a few times (mostly to do some grocery shopping). I went to the zoo with the Ethiopia PCV on Wednesday. The Madagascar PCV left Tuesday and the Ethiopia PCV left Thursday, so it's just me. When I say just me, I mean I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in the guest house this weekend. Friday was a holiday here, so everyone must have went home or something, there are no other guests. The guest house is beautiful. There is a pool out back. I have my own room with a claw foot tub (I've taken a bath every day I think). Breakfast is included (I've had french toast all but yesterday). The staff are nice. I've done two loads of laundry with a washer and dryer (I plan to do one more load before leaving). I've read and watched TV. I'd say not a bad week. Today I went to the Brooklyn Mall, walked around the whole place. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I've had a like three smoothies!

I'm trying to think of anything else I should add, but I can't think of anything. I've still got a few days here. Tomorrow I plan to go to a flea market at another mall and Monday I haven't decided yet, maybe a bird reserve. Tuesday is my appointment in the afternoon and in plan to spend the morning at the office or around the office. Then I have a return flight on Wednesday (or at least that was my original return date, so I'm assuming it still applies). Wednesday is also my BIRTHDAY!!!! I should be back in Injibara next weekend!

Health issues

Another unexpected trip to Addis Ababa. I arrived on Sunday afternoon. Upon exiting the airport I headed to the underpass to find a line taxi, the first people I ran into were some boys who wanted me to buy something. I was annoyed because I kept telling them to go away, I didn't want anything, but one boy was persistent and grabbed my shirt a couple times. On Monday, I had a CT Scan, not so fun. I still have a bruise on the back of my hand from the needle. I was a nervous wreck waiting for the results. I didn't get them until Tuesday afternoon. Luckily everything came back normal. So then I waited to hear what would happen next. Okay, I probably should back track. In one of my previous posts I mentioned that I was having headaches and a teary right eye. So that is why I returned to Addis Ababa yet again. The CT Scan confirmed that my sinusitis was cleared up by the antibiotics. However, there was no information about why my eye was still tearing. So I didn't hear anything again until Thursday morning when I went to the Peace Corps Office and met with one of the PC doctors. The PC doctor told me that Regional Medical (South Africa) said I could go ahead with the procedure the eye doctor wanted me to have last time I was in town. This procedure is called Diagnostic Probing and Irrigation. Yeah, doesn't that sound fun. Well, it's not. I had the procedure done on Thursday afternoon and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. Luckily, PC has amazing doctors and I had one by my side (except during the procedure, he wasn't allowed to come back), however he was right there for me when it was over and before it began when I was terrified. I was the worst. I was in pain. I've been having headaches since the procedure and my eye has hurt on and off. Now, I'm still in Addis Ababa because I have to go back to the eye doctor and see if the procedure worked. Oh, I forgot to tell you why I had this procedure. The eye doctors think I have a blocked tear duct, so the procedure was to unblock the duct and clear it out. I'm unsure if it is unblocked because during the procedure I was suppose to feel water in the nose or throat and I didn't feel anything but a lot of water/eye drops running out my eye and into my ear. So I go back Monday, in hopes that everything is better. Trust me you don't want to know some of the things I've worried about this past week that could be going on. I'm not sure what the next step will be if the tear duct isn't unblocked. I've been trying to stay clear of all that and letting the PC doctor take care of things. So until Monday, I'm in Addis hanging out with a headache. I so hope to figure out what is going on. Please keep me in your prayers, I could really use them right about now! Thanks! Much love!!! <3