"Bottoms Up" or "Thar She Blows!"

So here's the deal. I've been in Tanzania for over a month now. We've had many groups come and go during that time. Every one of them has had one or more people get sick while they're here. We console them, tell them they'll feel better soon and then go on our way and do our thing.

A new group from Christ the King Lutheran in New Brighton came in on Monday night. They came about 45 minutes before the evening meal, so we all gathered in the lobby of the Lutheran Center to get acquainted. While visiting with one lady, I bragged that I hadn't been sick a single day since coming.

No sooner had the words come out of my mouth, then I was feeling a bit dizzy. I thought that maybe my contact lens had been in too long that day, so I went home to put glasses on. I only felt worse. I begged off from dinner that night and went to bed.

The next morning, I thought I felt better so I went about my normal day's schedule, ate regular meals, but still felt a little dull. I was hoping against hope that whatever was getting me down wasn't malaria. Gary and I had chased a few mosquitoes around our apartment for a few days. I selfishly hoped they bit him and not me.

This morning I awoke and felt like someone had beat me up while I slept. My knees ached, my head hurt and my stomach was feeling off. "Mind over matter," I thought. That is until Mt. St. Helens erupted. I was very impressed with the force and velocity for such a little guy! I was much less impressed with the accuracy.

So, I took Cipro, the wonder drug and I'm laying low for the day.

The good news is that today is a real boost to my goal of losing 15 pounds while I'm here. The other good news is that I'm quite sure I don't have malaria.