Sickness in the Third-World

I realize there’s sickness all over the world, even in North-America, but let’s be honest, nothing compares to sickness in the third world. I can say this from experience now, because I am currently still recovering from an ‘episode’ of Typhoid. Oh, I’ve been sick in Canada before. I’ve had strep throat, Bronchitis, and the usual cold and flu stuff…. But nothing compares to having Typhoid, and having it in the third-world.

What is Typhoid…? Well, this is the gross part. It’s caused by feces entering the body. I know, I know. It took me awhile to get over that part too. I think I got it from eating some popcorn at the home of another missionary family who already had Typhoid. Apparently, that wasn’t such a good idea.
As far as symptoms, it started with just feeling tired and a little nauseous, then the next day it led to really achy muscles and weakness. By the second night, I had a fever, diarrhea, and an itchy rash that covered my whole body. The fever would come and go, getting hotter each day. This lasted only about four days for me, because I went to the hospital and got a shot in my bum to keep the fever down (also not fun). They also gave me some medication, which I’m currently still taking.

Needless to say, by body’s been through a lot in the last week. I honestly felt like I was going to die. People from the church came over regularly to sing and pray for me. I truly believe it was their prayers that kept me alive. I just laid in bed, unable to really even move, cuz the fever was so bad. I’ve never known any kind of sickness like this in Canada, that’s for sure!

Now for what makes being sick in the third-world different from being sick in Canada, other than the actual disease itself. Let me just tell you this much… it’s just a lot more difficult. Honestly, it’s not easy to get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, when it’s pitch dark, there’s no power, and my flashlight batteries are dead so I have to use my cell phone to light the way. Seriously, it’s not easy to keep pressing buttons on your cell phone, to keep the light on, while you’re going diarrhea in the toilet, then needing to wipe your bum with napkins cuz we’re out of toilet paper again. Then to top it all off, to flush the toilet, you need to fill a bucket with water from the big barrel in the bathroom, and dump it down the toilet bowl… all this while you’re still pressing buttons on your cell phone so you can actually see what you’re doing.

I hope you can sympathize with me, in this plight, and next time you’re sitting on your comfortable toilet seat, using real toilet paper and enjoying the luxury of a light and a toilet that actually flushes itself, remember me and pray that God will continue to give me the strength I need to keep doing what He’s called me to do here in Haiti!