February 12, 2006

Getting to Grips with my Ganglion

Im partially back in the land of the living today. Lying in that room is starting to affect my sanity! and there}s another week to go. Super! I arrived in Cuzco on 20 January with a plan of staying 10 days (2 weeks tops). It}s nearly a month later and Im still here. Its unfortunate, although I am very glad that I got sick here rather than in the back of beyonds in Bolivia!
Anyway, the first round of anitbiotics I was given had little effect and during the week I ended up with yet another high fever. So, the doctor was called again. This time, two doctors came and they were much more thorough than the first guy. They took blood tests, took temperatures, asked lots of questions, gave me a lot of advice and were back one hour later with the test results! I had typhoid and paratyphoid! I felt very reassured by them. They were such lovely doctors. So, I was told that I have a ganglion at the back of my head (which Im not allowed to touch). "I have a what now?"
I have a vague memory of coming across ganglions in my early days as a science student, but any extra knowledge about them is lost in the fog at the back of my head. I dont think its a serious thng anyway.
I also have a chest infection which seems to be quite slow in clearing up, and then there{s the typhoid - not too happy about that one, especially considering the euros I parted with for vaccinations in Ireland.
I have ZERO appetite (an entirely foreign experience for me!) EVerything tastes like paper, ugh. I really have to force myself to eat. Last week was full of throwing up and other bodily eliminiations, but thankfully this week I seem to be...um...stabilising. The dizziness is the worst. Walking down the street is such a physical effort! it feels really strange.
Anyway, the travel plans were thrown totally out of whack. My biggest concern was sorting out my Easter Island flights, which initially set me back a cool $500. I was expecting to have to pay an exorbitant change fee to alter the dates at this late stage, but was pleasantly surprised today to find, after 15 minutes on hold, that they are going to change the dates free of charge. HAPPY DAYS! So, Ive rebooked them for 3 weeks time. That should give me plenty of time to get better, and I might even squeeze in some of Bolivia after all.
I{, praying that Ill keep improving. Its very unpredictable, this thing - one day you feel like youre fine, then three hour later, youre back in bed with a fever and dizziness and a sick stomach. Whimper. Mam keeps telling me that this is character building ad will make me a better traveller once I come out the other side of it. Well, thats about the only good thing you could take out of the experience! ALthough, I was thinking about it last night, and in a way maybe its good that I was on my own - imagine how bad you{d feel for the other person(s) if you held them up for 3 weeks! That would make you feel 10 times worse probably.
ANyway, Ill stop whinging now. FIngers crossed that Ill be back on my feet and on the road again very soon. I nned to get out of Cuzco - not only am I sick of the sight of the place now, but Im liable to kill a finger puppet kid soon.

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