Because I know you are all curious, here are the "bullet points":
Wednesday, September 7th:
- out all afternoon at weekly market with my site mates, Catherine & Meghan
- attended football (soccer) match in Meghan's village
- left match early to get home before dark
- frustrated that I was so tired bike riding only 3k (in the African bush)
- suspected fever when I got home because I knew it was hot outside and it felt good
- took temperature, well over 100F
- rapidly felt worse, fever continued to rise by the hour
- text messaged the duty medical officer, instructed to take ibuprofen, call next morning
Thursday, September 8th
- waited all morning to hear from medical officer
- finally call her; apparently she'd been trying but phone calls wouldn't go through
- convince her that I feel awful, fever still persisting, send Peace Corps transit
- PC driver Sam arrives at 3:30pm
- get back to city at 7pm, draw blood, see doctor
- spend night in med unit (air conditioned bedroom in health office)
- meet Dr. Ararat, regional medical officer from Senegal, who is filling in in The Gambia for a week
- Dr. Ararat spends night on couch in office waiting room = instant bond
Friday, September 9th
- wait all day for lab results, lab not quick enough
- develop itchy rash all over body and jaundice in eyes
- decision to medically evacuate me to regional medical office in Dakar, Senegal
- pack my small backpack (fortunately had my passport with me)
Saturday, September 10th
- arrive to PC office in Dakar at 4am, attempt to sleep
- meet MD after a few hours, draw more blood, have physical exam
- testing liver & kidney functions as well as for all sorts of viral infections
- sleep on and off throughout day, continue to itch and take tylenol to keep fever under control
- informed that I'll be at the PC office in Dakar until further notice*
Monday, September 12th
- ultrasound reveals normal pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, liver
Wednesday, September 14th
- fever finally stabilizes into normal range without help of meds
- rash and jaundice prevail
- continue to have lab work every 48-72 hours, keep returning negative for viruses
- another ultrasound reveals normal looking innards
- Senegalese specialist suspects allergic reaction to malaria prophylaxis
- start to build relationships with other 3 PCMOs (PC Medical Officers)
- start new malaria prophylaxis, discontinue use of previous one
Thursday, September 15th
- PCV friend Kim arrives from The Gambia to have her wisdom teeth removed
- Dr. Ararat comes back to her home post after filling in in The Gambia for a week
Saturday, September 17th
- high fever returns, bring down with ibuprofen
- start 3 days of stomach virus on top of whatever is going on
Wednesday, September 21st
- develop splitting headache on left side of head
- appetite returning, rash slowly healing
Sunday, September 25th
- meet first of my Lebanese family in Dakar: Mike, his wife, and 3 beautiful young daughters
- have ice cream after lunch and they drive me around the city
Monday, September 26th
- go to more Lebanese family's house in Dakar despite feeling exhausted
- spirits lifted beyond explanation to be around "family," and eat good Lebanese food
Tuesday, September 27th
- all but 1 PCMO leave country for 1 week for PC conference
- start taking antibiotic in the event that this is caused by infection
Thursday, September 29th
- wake up early to have NMRI done (basically an MRI) of my internal organs
Sunday, October 4th
- wake up with a personality; convinced that the 1st malaria prophylaxis altered my personality
Monday, October 5th
- Dr. Ararat informs me at 9am that I will be med evac'd to Washington, DC
- leave PC office at 8pm, fly to Paris
Wednesday, October 6th
- meet Ed on airplane from Paris to DC, associate director of safety & security for PC
Thursday, October 7th
- arrive to DC in afternoon, part ways with Ed after he sees that I will get to where I need to be
- staying at a hotel in Georgetown with about 6 other Med Evacs from all around world
- my job here is to attend doctors appointments and meet with PC Washington medical staff
Friday, October 8th
- meet with specialist in morning
- diagnosis until proven otherwise: drug-induced hepatitis from 1st malaria prophylaxis
- order more labs and that radiology films be read by US radiologist
Tuesday, October 18th
- waiting for follow up appointment with specialist's colleague
- continue to explore options for further PC service in a non-malaria region
Wednesday, September 7th:
- out all afternoon at weekly market with my site mates, Catherine & Meghan
- attended football (soccer) match in Meghan's village
- left match early to get home before dark
- frustrated that I was so tired bike riding only 3k (in the African bush)
- suspected fever when I got home because I knew it was hot outside and it felt good
- took temperature, well over 100F
- rapidly felt worse, fever continued to rise by the hour
- text messaged the duty medical officer, instructed to take ibuprofen, call next morning
Thursday, September 8th
- waited all morning to hear from medical officer
- finally call her; apparently she'd been trying but phone calls wouldn't go through
- convince her that I feel awful, fever still persisting, send Peace Corps transit
- PC driver Sam arrives at 3:30pm
- get back to city at 7pm, draw blood, see doctor
- spend night in med unit (air conditioned bedroom in health office)
- meet Dr. Ararat, regional medical officer from Senegal, who is filling in in The Gambia for a week
- Dr. Ararat spends night on couch in office waiting room = instant bond
Friday, September 9th
- wait all day for lab results, lab not quick enough
- develop itchy rash all over body and jaundice in eyes
- decision to medically evacuate me to regional medical office in Dakar, Senegal
- pack my small backpack (fortunately had my passport with me)
Saturday, September 10th
- arrive to PC office in Dakar at 4am, attempt to sleep
- meet MD after a few hours, draw more blood, have physical exam
- testing liver & kidney functions as well as for all sorts of viral infections
- sleep on and off throughout day, continue to itch and take tylenol to keep fever under control
- informed that I'll be at the PC office in Dakar until further notice*
- *I was never hospitalized during this experience. The "Med Hut" in Dakar is a dormitory-like setup in their regional offices. There are 4 bedrooms, a commons area, a kitchen, and bathrooms across the hall from the MD's offices and exam rooms. There are always a few volunteers rotating in and out due to their own medical adventures. During my time there, I met PCVs with an array of things: 2 broken feet (different PCVs), stomach viruses/parasites, malaria, mid-service physical exams, et al)
Monday, September 12th
- ultrasound reveals normal pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, liver
Wednesday, September 14th
- fever finally stabilizes into normal range without help of meds
- rash and jaundice prevail
- continue to have lab work every 48-72 hours, keep returning negative for viruses
- another ultrasound reveals normal looking innards
- Senegalese specialist suspects allergic reaction to malaria prophylaxis
- start to build relationships with other 3 PCMOs (PC Medical Officers)
- start new malaria prophylaxis, discontinue use of previous one
Thursday, September 15th
- PCV friend Kim arrives from The Gambia to have her wisdom teeth removed
- Dr. Ararat comes back to her home post after filling in in The Gambia for a week
Saturday, September 17th
- high fever returns, bring down with ibuprofen
- start 3 days of stomach virus on top of whatever is going on
Wednesday, September 21st
- develop splitting headache on left side of head
- appetite returning, rash slowly healing
Sunday, September 25th
- meet first of my Lebanese family in Dakar: Mike, his wife, and 3 beautiful young daughters
- have ice cream after lunch and they drive me around the city
Monday, September 26th
- go to more Lebanese family's house in Dakar despite feeling exhausted
- spirits lifted beyond explanation to be around "family," and eat good Lebanese food
Tuesday, September 27th
- all but 1 PCMO leave country for 1 week for PC conference
- start taking antibiotic in the event that this is caused by infection
Thursday, September 29th
- wake up early to have NMRI done (basically an MRI) of my internal organs
Sunday, October 4th
- wake up with a personality; convinced that the 1st malaria prophylaxis altered my personality
Monday, October 5th
- Dr. Ararat informs me at 9am that I will be med evac'd to Washington, DC
- leave PC office at 8pm, fly to Paris
Wednesday, October 6th
- meet Ed on airplane from Paris to DC, associate director of safety & security for PC
Thursday, October 7th
- arrive to DC in afternoon, part ways with Ed after he sees that I will get to where I need to be
- staying at a hotel in Georgetown with about 6 other Med Evacs from all around world
- my job here is to attend doctors appointments and meet with PC Washington medical staff
Friday, October 8th
- meet with specialist in morning
- diagnosis until proven otherwise: drug-induced hepatitis from 1st malaria prophylaxis
- order more labs and that radiology films be read by US radiologist
Tuesday, October 18th
- waiting for follow up appointment with specialist's colleague
- continue to explore options for further PC service in a non-malaria region
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