The Adventure of Guinea-Bissau (part 2) - The Virus

Apparently there had been a virus that was being passed around between the villagers of Catel. It wasn't something any of us took real serous, initially...

Saturday morning I helped clean and organize the clinic and then did some laundry. While doing laundry on a clear sunny day under the African sun I managed to get myself just a little sunburned. It was sore and so that night I put on some Aloe Vera gel and didn't think much of it. 

Later that night I woke up at some point and was freezing...it felt like I was in a refrigerator! I figured it was just cooler and my sunburn made me a little more sensitive to the cooler temp. 

For a fleeting second I thought about waking up the girl next to me because I was so cold I didn't want to get out from under my sheet to find something warmer to put on. Then I could ask her to dig through my backpack and find my jacket. I decided that I could curl up into a really tight ball and shiver my way back to sleep, (sometimes I have brilliant ideas...lol)!

As I lay there curled up into a ball as tightly as I could make myself my shivers turn violent enough to make me nauseous. Soon sleep over takes me again and I slept for the rest of the night, however long that was.

When I get up that morning I still don't feel great. I'm slightly nauseous, have a headache, and feel generally weak. At this point I still think I just got a little to much sun and with some extra sleep I'll be fine.

Everyone else heads down to the church and I go back to bed. I had some water left over in my water bottle from the day before. One of the girls said she would come check on me in an hour or so and bring more water for me. 

I had no energy or appetite of any kind...all I wanted to do was sleep. The more water I tried to drink the more I felt sick to my stomach. Needless to say, I didn't drink...which turned into a problem.

Finally, after lunch when they were checking on my was very lethargic and didn't want to wake up. When they were finally able to get a response out of me it was simple and mumbled. I wouldn't open my eyes or move at all. Since I was with a medical team they checked my vitals and my blood pressure was lower than normal for me, but my temp was 101.9 axillary. At this point, they realized I was sick.

Since I wasn't able to walk up the church where they had some electricity and could keep a closer eye on me, I was put in a car and driven up there.

They were asking my questions and I could hear everything they were talking about but I just didn't care or have the energy to respond to them. I was miserable and just wanted to be left alone to sleep.

Once they got me up there, they put in an IV to give me fluids, and gave me and alcohol bath to help draw the fever out, along with Tylenol...

This was taken after I was starting to open my eyes and respond 

After receiving 750mL's of Normal Saline I opened my eyes and would talk to them. It made everyone extremely happy...I don't know why. 

Even though I was starting to feel better I still didn't want to drink...water just wasn't setting well. There were multiple people waking me up and telling me to drink and all I wanted to do was sleep. 

My fever spiked a second time before it finally broke for good Sunday night/Monday morning. Monday morning when I woke up I wanted to take a shower and I knew that was a good sign. I didn't go to the clinic that morning because I was still weak and dehydrated. So instead I spent the day sleeping and drinking water. I wasn't hungry so I didn't really eat, so Tuesday morning I was feel better and starting to get hungry after not eating for two days. 

I wasn't the only to come down with this lovely virus, but there were some lucky enough to avoid it completely and take care of us who weren't so lucky. I've always thought that I would be a terrible patient...it's true, if I'm sick you don't want to be my nurse!

This goes to show, you never know what can happen on a missions trip. 

The Adventure of Guinea-Bissau (part 1)

It did turn out to be an adventure...but all 10 of us made it there and back again. Onto the adventure that I will call Guinea-Bissau. 

For those of you who don't know Guinea-Bissau is among the 10 poorest countries in the world, and I was able to join a medical team traveling to the village of Catel to help out with the clinic there. 

The group...this was taking the morning we left Catel

On the way over we took a bunch of supplies with us. Food to eat, and medical supplies...it meant a lot of suitcases to lug around the airport, check in, and keep track of. The later of which can be interesting in West Africa. 

Supplies!!!

After landing in Dakar, Senegal at 5:30 am we had all day before we needed to get on the boat that was going to take us to Guinea-Bissau. Instead of seating at the dock waiting all day, we took at short trip out to Goree Island. It's an island full of history. While there we visited the compound where they use to hold the individuals who were captured/sold for slavery. 

Out of all it, there was one thing that stood out to me...there is a door that is/was called "the door of no return." I went to the door frame and looked out, this is what I saw...

I was right on the edge of the ocean...inside the building, to the left of the door it looked like it was a 'cattle chute' for loading the people onto the boats. How can anyone do that do another person? Why would anybody want to "buy" a slave? It's a horrible thing that needs to be stopped...because slavery is wrong in any form. 

Sorry, I digress...but it was something that made me think, and I just wanted to share that with you. 

The next day we made it to the village of Catel...it is very hot and dry there right now. Did I already say that it was hot? It was insanely hot...I thought. Personally hot weather is not my favorite, but when it's over 100 degrees, it's miserable. I think one day it was up to 106+. Lets just say you need to drink lots and lots of water to stay hydrated...but I'll get to that :-)

Our taxi with all the luggage...that's the way of transportation...people inside, large items piled onto the top of the vehicle..they know how to tie things down so it doesn't fall off.

The village of Catel

So as not keep this adventure moving, I'll not bore you will all the little details.... 

Working at the clinic was interesting...it was a huge help that there was a Mennonite Y.E.S. team serving there. They had been there since December and have a good grasp of the creole language. They would come and translate for us. 

We saw all sorts of things that I don't normally see here in the states. One lady had Mumps, and 9 month old with Malaria, fungal infections/skin issues, and other stuff. Then there are the things that I'm use to seeing, like high blood pressure and  muscle soreness. 

Basically, you assessed the patient, figured out what you thought was going on and treat that. You don't have a bunch of lab tests to run, and figure everything out. You do it based off the info the patient gives you, your assessment, and then you treat. 

The medicine cabinet at the clinic

  

Unpacking and organizing the medical supplies at the clinic

So that's enough about the work, it was interesting and that's why I went, but the really good stories of this trip aren't there, they happened at other times...

The first time this happened was when I was going through customs in Senegal just after I landed in West Africa on my way there. The guy checking my passport asked why I was going to Guinea-Bissau and I told him I wanted to see something new, I liked to travel and go new places. He then asked where my husband was...when I didn't answer him right away he was like, 'if you don't have one I'll take you.' I declined that offer.

Then in the Catel, there was this guy who "wanted to talk to me" but I don't speak his language, and he doesn't speak mine, but he kept asking two of the guys that are living there if they would talk to me and ask me if I would talk to him. Apparently, he was really interested because he was persistent... and would leave the guys alone. It just ended up being really funny.

That same day I was also able to go to an open market with some people and while I was there an guy from Gambia was after me. He just didn't want to leave me alone.

When we were leaving, crossing the Guinea-Bissau and Senegal boarder one of the guys there was looking at all the women and said to the one guy of our group that was with us...'you have to many women, how about you give one to me...I'll take, that one.' He pointed right at me, and I was behind everyone else...we all just bust out laughing...the leader of our group was like, "what's up with this, I can't take you anywhere."

While waiting in the Senegal airport one of the employs there was asking for my info/wanting to give me his so that next time I was there I could look him up. 

I could have had myself several husbands to choose from...but I turned them all down...they just weren't what I was looking for... :-)

Just thought I'd include some random pics of daily life...

the well...we pumped water here for laundry, dishes, and showers each night

this is how we washed our stuff

now it's hanging up to dry...there were multiple lines, and often they were full

I'm attempting to eat cashew fruit...but instead I think I made a sticky mess everywhere... 

Africa, here I come!

Today is going to be a long, adventuresome day! Having slept Sunday morning after work, I finished up my packing around 9:30pm...early for me when departure time from my apartment is at 11am. So, I figured it was a good time to talk with some of my family before heading out of the country. 

I almost hate to admit this, but while I was talking with one of my sister I ate an entire pint of coffee ice cream. What I'm wondering is does that contain caffeine? I wasn't able to sleep at all! Could it have been that, or more likely that I slept in the morning? 

The adventure of it all has started and I've not even left my couch. Maybe it's just the crazy memories I have of traveling to Japan last November. That morning I overslept and was late to my train, but it ended up that I missed my connecting flight to Tokyo so my trip was delayed a day...then two...and three days later I finally arrived without any luggage. I'm hoping today's flight goes better, and without many complications. :-)

Anyway, it's now 8am...and there are things to do, places to go, people to meet! Africa, here I come! ...(maybe a little sleep deprived, but excited non the less..now what did I forget to pack?) 

Just thought I'd give blogging a try...maybe I'll really love it and write down all of the crazy adventures I have. There do tend to be several random things that happen when I travel. :-)