Sunday, February 24, 2013

Have you ever lost an entire month?

I feel like I just did!

In mid-January, it worked out for Russell's wife, Iris, to come and help me put together pastor gifts every work day. It had to do with Russell coming out to our place to work on weekdays, so she had a ride, and then also with her having some free time just then. So, I put aside everything else, and worked with Iris. I neglected the homeschooling, the housework, the blog, emails - everything. I knew in the long run, the tradeoff would be worth it, because when the pastor gifts are completed and distributed I get my house back.

The period of time in which Iris was available to help was three weeks. We worked steadily through the first two weeks, but that's when I got sick. I was too sick to do anything for about a week and a half, and I've been recuperating for another week and a half.

Now, I'm ready to face the world again . . . but aaarrgghh - what a mess I have to face! I've basically not handled the regular duties of daily life for FIVE WEEKS! It's gonna be a long, hard road back. I've almost got things back to a barely-livable level on the housework. I was actually able to do a bunch of schoolwork with Ben (which involved me reading aloud to him while sitting on the couch) during the latter part of my recuperation, so we're feeling okay about that. I have so many unanswered emails to handle! And, of course, I need to get out and take pictures for the blog, so you can see what's going on with the ministry and such and not just hear about my inability to get things done!

However - I've just arranged to have Iris come out several days this week, to help me with the pastor gifts again. We get so much more done when we work together than when I try to do this job on my own. I'm just not as young as I used to be, plus having someone come specifically for this job helps keep me focused and motivated.  This is a good thing, but you know it means that other things are going to fall through the cracks - or remain in the cracks, as the case may be, LOL.

On top of all of that, I'm pretty sure I still need to take it a little bit easy, as I'm not quite all the way back from being so sick. Yes, the kids are helping, but I'm trying to keep them from doing so much of my work that they fall behind on schoolwork, and of course Rachel is a bit distracted with her wedding plans. We're muddling through, and I'm sure there's a light at the end of the (very very very long) tunnel! Prayers would be appreciated!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

An overdue update

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am on the mend. We weren't able to get a test for malaria locally, and as I was starting to feel significantly better by the time we found out that the test was unavailable we decided not to pursue the test at all. I learned, in my research about malaria, that if you aren't actively unwell (feverish etc) you're very likely to get a false negative test in spite of actually having malaria. Since I felt well, it didn't make sense to go get tested, especially if it was going to involve some larger amount of travel to get to a location where the test was available.

Since then, I've continued to recuperate. I did take a course of antibiotics, on the advice of a US doctor. Since I was already starting to feel better, I don't really know if the antibiotics were effective or not, but I'm glad to have taken them, just in case.

The past couple of days both Gus and Rachel have complained of stomach cramps, chills, and a general feeling of malaise and exhaustion, so we started both of them on antibiotics right away. It's been over two weeks since I first got sick, and we just don't know if they're coming down with the same thing or not, but as difficult an illness as this was for me, we don't want to take any chances.

Sorry this blog has been all about sickness - what little I've posted at all - recently. Hopefully we'll have things under control soon, and be back to normal. I certainly hope so!!!!!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Just the Facts

I hate it when I keep my readers hanging, wondering what's going on. Sometimes it's only because life got busy, but sometimes it's because things have gone a bit . . . bad.

So, here's a quick laying out of the facts, to bring you back up-to-date.

I started running a teensy fever. I took a couple pills and went to bed. Got up later and felt better.

Next morning, felt a little sickly but got gradually worse all day. Ate lunch, but nothing after that. Fever rising continually.

Lost all track of time. Fever stayed well above 100. At some point the family had to take over dosing meds at intervals, because I couldn't keep things straight. Lots of vomiting, though with nothing in my system (always such a pleasure).

Sometime late in the week I started to return to my normal thinking. It stopped taking me an hour to get from the thought: "I don't feel good" to the next thought "It might be time for more pain or fever meds."

I started eating again. I started having a normal temp without medication. Life was getting good again.

Saturday - the high fever came back.

Sadly, this pattern is fairly common for malaria. We won't know for sure if I have malaria until I have blood work done. Even then, I'm told, sometimes during the progress of the ailment, the identifying elements in the blood aren't there in strong enough concentration to give a definite positive diagnosis.

I expect to be able to have blood work done tomorrow morning (Monday).

I am also fiddling with the idea that this might not be malaria at all, but leptospirosis. I'm not going to go into it, but the symptoms and how one is exposed to the disease also fit my situation pretty well.

I'm not uncomfortable at the moment, my fever hasn't come back up again since Saturday right after lunch. I'm just waiting it out.

And now I don't have to feel bad that I haven't let you know. Good night, LOL.