(this was meant to be posted 2 weeks ago, but things are hard to do without internet)
The past four days our squad has been in LaPaz, Bolivia for our Leadership Development weekend. As a rule of the World Race, you are not allowed to go anyways by yourself. My teammate Bailey asked me one afternoon to walk to one of the tiendas with her; so I joined. I remember walking down the stairs when my “sulphur burps”started back again. Trust me, it is as gross as it seems. The smell of rotten eggs is bad enough,but when you burp and it taste and smells like them it is enough to make your stomach turn.
I told Bailey that as soon as we got back I was going to research what was causing us to have these nasty burps. A few weeks ago I thought I was the only person experiencing sulphur burps on my team until I spoke up and said something about them, then a few other people on the team said they were experiencing them too. Not only were the burps bad, but we stayed feeling bloated and food didn’t seem to agree with our bodies. We figured it was just some sickness we were spreading living in such close quarters with each other.
When I got back from the tienda with Bailey I decided to take measures into my own hands. I started to research all the symptoms, and especially what was causing the sulphur burps. All research pointed to a parasite.
Jorge is what I have named the parasite that is living in me. Yep, a parasite. Giardia. Sulphur burps, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, such a wonderful combination. Jorge has caused a serious dislike of food for me. No matter what I eat, Jorge decides it doesn’t need to be in my body.
We had a night of worship Monday night while in LaPaz and it turned into a secession of different people telling things that they were thankful for. I told the crowd that I was thankful for the convictions I get from the Lord and also the rest that the Lord was forcing me into. As I stood up and talked I was in so much pain from the sickness that twenty minutes later I asked Chelsea to walk back to our hostel with so I could go to bed. I was laughing at the intensity of what I was feeling and asking Chelsea “how is this humanly possible to feel like this?”When I don’t feel good I am usually one to still say I am fine, that day I had my limit. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hide under my covers. The pain was insane.
A few days before I thought I had kicked the sickness. I took medicine for three days and pretty much restricted myself to water and crackers during that time. After I was done with the medicine I fasted for three days to bond with God and pray like crazy that the sickness was gone. My fast started last Thursday night, and I ate my first meal Sunday night. For some strange reason I was craving a hamburger (yes, y’all read that right…a hamburger, those nasty things that I DON’T like). Melissa and I decided to split a hamburger because we both were in the same love/hate relationship with food at the time.
I ate my half of the hamburger and by midnight I was back to thinking “I am never going to eat again.”I woke up feeling like I was going to vomit and my stomach was in pain, again. I woke up in the morning feeling fine so a group of us went out and got breakfast, then me and a couple of other squamates ventured out later in the afternoon and had a delicious lunch. As soon as I ate my dislike of food started again. My go to foods the past few days have been Pringles and snickers bars. They seem to be the only foods that will stay in my stomach.
I think after three weeks, Jorge has been in my company way too long. However, I am traveling the next few days so I can’t take medicine until I get to India. Jorge has to die by then because if he interferes with my love of Indian food I am not going to be happy at all. Jorge has already caused enough problems. I’ve been in bed the majority of the past three days. My stretchy pants are even falling off of me. I can’t stay awake. I can’t even enjoy food. Jorge and I just don’t have a good relationship so I am going to kick him to the curb.
As of right now, I am on a plane typing this while every ounce of liquid in my stomach is getting shaken from hitting air pockets. I woke up at one this morning and before I could even sit up to make it to the bathroom, vomit. I hate to end this relationship with Jorge, but it just isn’t a healthy one to stay in. Hopefully it is a civilized breakup…lol
p.s. Jorge is dead. I am back to feeling fabulous:)
