Just a quick recap of
the last few days in Dar and on my health:
Monday: Ten hour bus ride to Dar. PC told me to take a taxi to the hotel. I got ripped off. Had horrible stomach pain/cramps. Got a hamburger. Told I had a “lovely hairstyle” at the bank. Got ice cream. Took a hot shower. My first hot shower in 3 months. Relaxed. Had another nightmare/hallucination that PC sent someone into my hotel room to watch me sleep.
Tuesday: Met a Canadian VSO at breakfast. Taxi delivered me to PC Office. Delivered my stool sample. Weighed myself. I’m about 10 pounds lighter than I was 3 months ago, though it is probably all muscle-loss. PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) found a swollen lymph node with a 2cm nodule on it under my armpit. He said it might be malignant. Ruled out tuberculosis. Waited around in the volunteer lounge. Found a skirt, sweater, and Swahili flashcards in the pile of stuff people leave behind. Walked outside for Chai. Found a spa and got a pedicure. They laughed at how dirty my feet were. Taken to a hospital to see a doctor. After 2 minutes, he told me the joint where the clavicle meets my sternum was just inflamed and it was nothing to worry about. He refused to do an X-ray. Picked up some anti-inflammatory ointment at the pharmacy. He said the ointment might help or it may stay protruding forever. PCMO agreed I should get an X-ray. Met up with other volunteers at the office. Took a daladala. Sweated on some people. Almost got run over by a bus. Drank some freshly made Passion-Mango juice. Went to the mall. Almost died from culture shock. Bought some spices and staples for my kitchen. Ate a brownie with ice cream. Went to a movie theatre to see Ted. Froze to death. Bajaj-ed back to the hotel.
Wednesday: Zigzagged my way to Posta to catch a daladala. It didn’t stop where it was supposed to so I ended up walking 20 minutes to the PC Office. Had to wait for a driver to take me to the hospital. Got an X-ray. Sent upstairs to find a doctor. After being passed from person to person I finally saw an orthopedic surgeon. He thought it was my scoliosis. Sent back downstairs to pick up my X-ray and report. Returned to the ortho surgeon. He said my collarbone has always been that (since I developed scoliosis) and I had just never noticed it. “Maybe you just noticed it because you started wearing shirts like THAT”. (Yes, the scoop neck I’m wearing is a lot more revealing than what I wear in California….NOT). Told me there is nothing to do to fix it. Ate lunch with some PCVs who have far worse medical issues than me. PCMO looked back in my charts for more information about my scoliosis. Discovered my scoliosis curves to the left on vertebrae T4, which is exactly where the collarbone connects. Basically my collarbone is being pulled forward to compensate for the curve in the opposite direction. He seemed relieved. When I asked if I could see a chiropractor he said they don’t have them here. He also told me there was nothing to do to reduce the size. Got stool sample results back-no parasite or anything, probably just caused by stress. Switched to Doxycycline (malaria prophylaxis) so I can actually sleep at night. Told to go buy my bus ticket for tomorrow. After an hour I finally made my way to Ubungo, which is the craziest, dirtiest, busiest bus stand in Dar. Told there were no seats on any buses tomorrow, so need to leave in two days. Also told I needed to learn Swahili since I’m in Tanzania. Ignored dumb vijana saying “Mzungu”, “Rafiki”, “mambo?”, “I love you”, “umependeza”. Showered off the filth from being in dalas. Ate garlic naan with garlic street chicken. Walked to Snoopy’s for ice cream. Ordered ice cream with caramel. Got ice cream with honey. I thought it was alcohol at first though…that’s how long it’s been since I’ve tasted honey. Ignored a ton of beggars who prefer to ask Wazungu for money, since obviously, if you’re white you have money.
This sounds really vain, but I feel really ugly with my bone sticking out. I was hoping there would be something to do to get rid of it. I still disagree that it was “always” like this. I think I would have noticed it sooner. Hopefully I can see a chiropractor somewhere in the future and see if they can do something like re-align me. Who knows. I’m having a really low tolerance day. I really don’t like how cramped and dirty Dar is. You’d think that they wouldn’t care as much when they see a Mzungu because there are more tourists here, but it’s worse! I can’t walk 100 yards without a comment from someone! Gah!
Tomorrow I will wander around, get some groceries, eat shawarma, take a hot shower and pack. School starts on Monday. Still don’t know what I’m teaching…hopefully it goes well though.
P.S. I would also like to point out that the abbreviation for Dar es Salaam is DSM. DSM is also the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Maybe that's why I feel like I'm going crazy here!
Monday: Ten hour bus ride to Dar. PC told me to take a taxi to the hotel. I got ripped off. Had horrible stomach pain/cramps. Got a hamburger. Told I had a “lovely hairstyle” at the bank. Got ice cream. Took a hot shower. My first hot shower in 3 months. Relaxed. Had another nightmare/hallucination that PC sent someone into my hotel room to watch me sleep.
Tuesday: Met a Canadian VSO at breakfast. Taxi delivered me to PC Office. Delivered my stool sample. Weighed myself. I’m about 10 pounds lighter than I was 3 months ago, though it is probably all muscle-loss. PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) found a swollen lymph node with a 2cm nodule on it under my armpit. He said it might be malignant. Ruled out tuberculosis. Waited around in the volunteer lounge. Found a skirt, sweater, and Swahili flashcards in the pile of stuff people leave behind. Walked outside for Chai. Found a spa and got a pedicure. They laughed at how dirty my feet were. Taken to a hospital to see a doctor. After 2 minutes, he told me the joint where the clavicle meets my sternum was just inflamed and it was nothing to worry about. He refused to do an X-ray. Picked up some anti-inflammatory ointment at the pharmacy. He said the ointment might help or it may stay protruding forever. PCMO agreed I should get an X-ray. Met up with other volunteers at the office. Took a daladala. Sweated on some people. Almost got run over by a bus. Drank some freshly made Passion-Mango juice. Went to the mall. Almost died from culture shock. Bought some spices and staples for my kitchen. Ate a brownie with ice cream. Went to a movie theatre to see Ted. Froze to death. Bajaj-ed back to the hotel.
Wednesday: Zigzagged my way to Posta to catch a daladala. It didn’t stop where it was supposed to so I ended up walking 20 minutes to the PC Office. Had to wait for a driver to take me to the hospital. Got an X-ray. Sent upstairs to find a doctor. After being passed from person to person I finally saw an orthopedic surgeon. He thought it was my scoliosis. Sent back downstairs to pick up my X-ray and report. Returned to the ortho surgeon. He said my collarbone has always been that (since I developed scoliosis) and I had just never noticed it. “Maybe you just noticed it because you started wearing shirts like THAT”. (Yes, the scoop neck I’m wearing is a lot more revealing than what I wear in California….NOT). Told me there is nothing to do to fix it. Ate lunch with some PCVs who have far worse medical issues than me. PCMO looked back in my charts for more information about my scoliosis. Discovered my scoliosis curves to the left on vertebrae T4, which is exactly where the collarbone connects. Basically my collarbone is being pulled forward to compensate for the curve in the opposite direction. He seemed relieved. When I asked if I could see a chiropractor he said they don’t have them here. He also told me there was nothing to do to reduce the size. Got stool sample results back-no parasite or anything, probably just caused by stress. Switched to Doxycycline (malaria prophylaxis) so I can actually sleep at night. Told to go buy my bus ticket for tomorrow. After an hour I finally made my way to Ubungo, which is the craziest, dirtiest, busiest bus stand in Dar. Told there were no seats on any buses tomorrow, so need to leave in two days. Also told I needed to learn Swahili since I’m in Tanzania. Ignored dumb vijana saying “Mzungu”, “Rafiki”, “mambo?”, “I love you”, “umependeza”. Showered off the filth from being in dalas. Ate garlic naan with garlic street chicken. Walked to Snoopy’s for ice cream. Ordered ice cream with caramel. Got ice cream with honey. I thought it was alcohol at first though…that’s how long it’s been since I’ve tasted honey. Ignored a ton of beggars who prefer to ask Wazungu for money, since obviously, if you’re white you have money.
This sounds really vain, but I feel really ugly with my bone sticking out. I was hoping there would be something to do to get rid of it. I still disagree that it was “always” like this. I think I would have noticed it sooner. Hopefully I can see a chiropractor somewhere in the future and see if they can do something like re-align me. Who knows. I’m having a really low tolerance day. I really don’t like how cramped and dirty Dar is. You’d think that they wouldn’t care as much when they see a Mzungu because there are more tourists here, but it’s worse! I can’t walk 100 yards without a comment from someone! Gah!
Tomorrow I will wander around, get some groceries, eat shawarma, take a hot shower and pack. School starts on Monday. Still don’t know what I’m teaching…hopefully it goes well though.
P.S. I would also like to point out that the abbreviation for Dar es Salaam is DSM. DSM is also the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Maybe that's why I feel like I'm going crazy here!
Happy to hear that it's only a "bone" thing. I've had scoliolis since I was very young. You might be carrying bags that are too heavy (try to balance the weight evenly... easier said than done). TG it isn't parasites. Sounds like you had some great "treats" to balance out the negative stuff in Dar. Ice cream with honey... yummy! Dar does not sound like a place I want to visit; the smaller villages are definitely much more desirable. The students will provide you with many happy moments. We all love the blogs; keep blogging and stay well.
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