Yesterday I hit a world race milestone- I went to my first doctor overseas. Ever since I filed my ministry day video (watch it below) I came down with something. Maybe if I watch the video enough I’ll catch where I got sick from??
It started Friday morning with a cough and an overall gunky feeling but then it didn’t go away and it got worse and worse.
On Tuesday I bit the bullet that I had been avoiding and went with my team leader to a doctor. We both joked about writing some key phrases for our doctors visit, she needed her leg checked out, I needed my lungs checked out. How do you say- “Coughing up a lung in Spanish” I pondered in the uber ride over. “What about are these bugs bites infected in Spanish?” She joked back.
We were both joking but when I climbed out of the uber I was nervous. I had no idea what to expect and how to get the point across that my lungs were in pain and I was sick.
The lady at the front desk didn’t speak English but nodded when I motioned to my chest and coughed. Hopefully, that was a universal sign for a doctor, please.
I went back got weight, and height measured. I then frantically looked at the woman speaking in Spanish to me over and over again and then giggling when I said: “No hablo mucho espanol, lo siento.”
Finally, another woman walked in “floor upstairs, room 2” I nodded and walked upstairs and accidentally walked into a doctors office before finding the right room and an ENGLISH speaking doctor! YAY!
He diagnosed me with a respiratory infection and told me to rest up and avoid the outdoors. (Because 70 degrees is cold in Ecuador)
They prescribed two more medications today because my fever isn’t gone and my cough is still here, so 1 inhaler, 1 liquid medication, and 3 pills will hopefully clear up my infection before Peru!
*My mom called that I had a respiratory infection about 2 days before the doctor knew! Smart lady! 🙂
