Being Sick in Cambodia

I'm not the one who usually goes to the doctor. I suffer a cough for a month before I think I need something to help me get rid of it. But since I'm in Cambodia I thought it would be wise to go get checked out before things got worse. I had been sick with a cold that was working itself into a cough for about a week. I went to school during this time and went about all of my activities that I was apart of. I did feel a little more tired than normal, but nothing I thought I needed to slow down for. Boy was I wrong. Last Sunday I woke up not feeling the greatest, but thought maybe it was my sensative stomach and I overate some chinese noodle soup I throughly enjoyed the night before. We have been meeting with the Jones on Sunday mornings as our rendition of church. We have decided to be accountability couple partners for one another; asking each other during the week how we have spent time getting to know Jesus! Last Sunday I took a shower and got ready to meet with the Jones, thinking I don't feel great but maybe I just need to get up and get going. I made it until 12:00, but I had been shivering with the chills the whole time we had been at the restaurant with the Jones. Gideon drove me home and I spent the next 24 hours laying in bed.

I was throwing up, shivering from the chills, wearing my fleece jacket (now I know why I brought it), tucked in tightly under the covers. During the night I felt like I had to go to the bathroom; I got up and passed out, woke up turned on the light so Gideon could watch me pass out the second time. My black outs were for only about 30 seconds each! I stayed home from school that Monday thinking maybe I will be home Tuesday, but I will for sure be back on Wednesday. Tuesday was the day I went to the doctor first. We had asked a teacher for a recommendation and she gave us one. So I called in the morning to make the appointment and Gideon decided he wanted to come. We still called Wibol, a tuk tuk driver, and he drove us there because I wasn't sure I could handle the moto ride. The doctors visit was pleasant. I got my blood drawn to be tested, and she advised me to take a pregrenancy test. I was sent home with the instructions to eat more and drink more especially Royal D which is a powder to put into water that has extra electrolytes. Eat so I wouldn't pass out, and drink so I would become hydrated again. I felt pretty good on Tuesday and was excited to get to go back to school. Well Wednesday morning came around and it just was not happening. Whenever I stood up I got the chills and was dizzy. Thursday I felt better, but decided to go to the doctor again, because just drinking and eating more did not seem to help. I had passed out once more, and was not feeling any better on Wednesday.

This time the doctor visit was a little more interesting. First she wanted to admit to the hospital for two days to be observed. I'm so glad my friend Leanne was with me to help me say NO. Then she got on the phone with her head doctor who thought the pain and dizzyness I was feeling was due to my premenstral cycle; basically i thought i would come to the doctor because I was pmsing. I think I know how to handle that and do not need a doctor. In the end a get told the same thing: eat more, drink more and come back if your problems persist. I for sure the second time around I would be given some sort of medication that would quicken the healing process of whatever was going on inside of my body.

Thursday Gideon sent home a email saying yay!! Kristy is better. Which we thought I was, but Thursday night I started to have really bad diarrhea which lasted until Friday afternoon. Also my legs and arms become seriously itchy on Friday night. Our Landlords gave me some medicine and it is Saturday night and I am saying I am better. Thank you for all your prayers for me during this time. I have never been this sick for this long in my life. It was quite miserable. I became so emotional on Friday. Every email I read that day made me cry, every time I talked to Gideon I would cry.

I did not make it to school all week long. But I did hear back from my teaching assistant that taught while i was gone that all of the kids have been praying for me. And all of Gideon's class made me get well cards. Most of them had soccer balls on them since I coach some of them in soccer! They were all very creative and encouraging.

So what did I learn from being sick in Cambodia:

1) If you get a cold or cough here drink lots, and lots of fluids and let your body rest so it doesn't become a bigger and longer illness.
2) It takes longer to heal here than in the States. Nobody knows why maybe its the climate, humidity, dustiness, I don't know!
3) Gideon is so unselfish. Because I was passing out on the way to the bathroom Gideon made me wake him up everytime before I went so he could be there to catch me when I fainted. He sacrificed his sleep so he could make sure I was safe. Then sleep deprived he would go to school. He even coached my soccer team for me on Thursday.
4) I will be spending more time in prayer asking God to keep us healthy. We take our health for granted a lot. I was about to go crazy staying in my bed for 6 days, and I would rather not have to go through that again!

I might take some pictures of the get well cards so you can see how creative Gideon's class is!

Thanks again everyone for the prayers! Love each and everyone of you!

Kristy