For some reason whenever I get sick it happens to me during the time when there is no water. I started getting sick on Thursday. I was just having very bad stomach pains and did not want to eat anything. The stomach issues lasted until Saturday when I should go down to the health clinic and see what was going on. At the clinic they told me that I had a bacterial stomach infection and gave me antibiotics and some other drug that I think was a muscle relaxer for the stomach cramping. The medicine helped for the rest of Saturday, but Sunday I started getting the stomach cramps again and by Sunday night I had a fever and was feeling sicker. I ended up getting sick twice that night. The worst part about getting sick was that there was no water so the toilets had not been flushed for a couple of days and they were disgusting.
I was still planning on trying to go to my nine o’clock class on Monday, but I decided last minute that I should really take it easy. It was a good thing I did not go to class because by nine I had gotten sick again and had a fever. I talked to Kate who convinced me that I should go back down to the health clinic and see what was going on. We only made it down to seventh floor before I had to go back up because I got sick again. My roommate came in to the restroom and told me that if I did not think I could make it down to the health clinic I should let her know and she would be able to call someone who would come pick me up and take me. I thought that I would be able to make it. Kate and I headed down to the clinic again and this time we made it half way before I had to stop and wait for the nausea to pass before we could continue going. While I was leaning up against a tree trying not to get sick a guy who was cutting the grass came up to us and started trying to create small talk. Neither of us were in the mood to deal with the random males, but he asked Kate if I was sick and that I should go down to the health clinic. Kate told him that is where we were headed. He then very respectfully told me “Pole sana dada, (I'm very sorry sister)” it was very sweet if I haden't been about to throw up.
We finally made it down to the health clinic where one of our friends was waiting for us. I must have looked like the walking dead because they still gives me a hard time for not stopping to say hi to, but I just kept on going. If I would have stopped to talk I either would have gotten sick again or started crying because I was miserable. When we got to the waiting are there was about forty students waiting to be seen. I ended up waiting for only about forty five minutes, but during that time I got sick again. When I finally say the doctor he sent me to get a malaria test so I had to go outside and all the way around the building where I ended up waiting for a half an hour to get my finger pricked and then we had to wait another hour and a half before I got the results back and there was a big stamp that said, “Malaria Seen” I had to go back up to see the doctor, who told me I had malaria. I cannot fully remember, but I am pretty sure I started laughing. Not because it was funny that I had malaria, but because he had said it like it was some big shock even though I had read it on the paper. He told me “Pole sana (I'm very sorry)” many times and after about the fifth time of replying “Asante (Thank you)” I finally told him “pole sana” and we both started laughing.
I finally got back to my room about three and a half hours later. My roommate, Monica, was taking a nap and woke up when I came in and started freaking out asking me if I was okay. Apparently, that morning when I got sick she had called her uncle that lives in Dar es Salaam and told him that I was sick and that she did not think that I would be able to make it down to the health clinic so he offered to come all the way over to campus to drive me about 600 meters to the clinic. It was so sweet of her to worry and him to offer to come pick me up. I am so lucky and blessed that I am surrounded by so many caring people that are looking out for me. Kate ended up missing a group meeting and our other friend missed a half day of work so that they could come with me to the doctors and make sure that I was okay. I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay them for their time. It meant so much to me especially since I do not like asking for help when I am sick. In the past I have almost looked at being sick as a weakness and refused to let other people know that I was not feeling well. Being in Tanzania I know that there are some things that I can not try to deal with on my own and this was one of them and I am learning that it is okay to ask for help and that there are people who are more than willing to help out.
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