The past 131 hours of my life have been some of the weakest, greatest, funniest, scariest and best moments on the Race. So let the story begin:
It was 3am on Thursday, March 28th when I woke up after being asleep for a few hours. We were staying at Arusha Backpackers in Tanzania as a squad before we all traveled together later that day to drive to Nairobi. I was feeling so hot and nauseous, cold and shivering, and my body was aching all over.
I can’t be feeling this way! We have to travel today. If I have malaria, man, oh man. What a way to remember Africa by.
I tossed and turned all night until it was early enough that others were awake. I went upstairs around 7:30 and joined others at breakfast and asked them if they knew what I could have from the symptoms I described to them. They all suggested malaria.
TIA. I don’t have time to go to the hospital! I have to get a few things before we leave! This is not happening.
So I asked if there were any suggestions on how to get rid of it or where to buy medicine. I found out that I could just take 5 Mefloquin, 3 at once and then another 2 in 8 hours (this was suggested by a squad mate that has a father who is an international doctor). So I waited until I was not feeling any better and symptoms were just getting worse and worse. I lasted only an hour.
While we traveled to Nairobi, my lovely teammate, Amanda, gave me the front seat of the bus so that I could get plenty of airflow and space. I sat there with the window down as we drove to the border, no man’s land, and into Kenya’s wonderful rush hour traffic. The journey was supposed to last about 5 hours, but our experience of moving quickly and making it in a good time frame was stopped when the red lights of the cars’ rears stopped us.
I am not complaining here. Rush hour traffic is really nice. It is fun because lots of people will walk by you, trying to sell you hats, shirts, peanuts, apples, blown up rabbits, anything! I was just sad to shut the window so that no one would reach in and take my bag.
When we reached Backpackers in Nairobi, it was only 8:30pm and my head was spinning. It felt it was floating like a balloon. Shortly after visiting with a few team mates, I went to bed on my mat in Amanda’s tent and went to bed. I did not know if it was because I was so dizzy from being in traffic for 3 hours or if being awake for 19 hours was making me crazy.
What a weird feeling. Sometimes I wish my body was a balloon and I would just float away. It’s kind of hard when only your head wants to float away while your body stays planted to the ground.
When I awoke the next morning, a squad mate was returning to her tent. I sat up, listened to the rain hit the tent and immediately had to lie back down.
Oh no, why do I need to throw up? Why do I feel so sick? This is not a good way to spend my last day in Africa. I want to go to Java House and get the Brownie Ice Cream Sundae.
Yes, those were my thoughts when I woke up. I am not ashamed.
I quickly grabbed my daypack and ran inside to avoid the sprinkling rain. I felt like I just woke up from a huge hangover and I could not walk in a straight line.
When I reached inside, there were a few people already inside.
Wait, why are these people up so early? These are the late night friends! They must have stayed up all night. It must be at least 6am.
It was just before 3am.
After returning from an unsuccessful releasing of my stomach contents, I went on the bed and watched television shows with the small crowd until 5:30am. Then I rested for a little while before I needed to try to empty my stomach once again. It, again, was unsuccessful so I tried resting again. By this time, people were coming in from the rain and visiting with one another. It was only 6:30am.
I enjoy that there are early risers like me, but please, I just want there to be silence so that I can concentrate on my spinning head.
I ended up starting to empty my stomach and the very pit of my body for a few hours later that morning. I was starting to become concerned because everything I was drinking was not staying down. It would come back up shortly after losing the battle of telling it to stay put. My squad mates were becoming concerned and were trying so hard to offer help.
I want them to know that they are appreciated, but there is no way they can help unless if they can find a way to get rid of my repulsed stomach and calm my head down.
I took medicine, I drank water, and I ate toast. Nothing.
I was starting to get really dehydrated and frustrated because we were leaving that night and there was no way I was going to be able to travel to Europe throwing up. That is just absurd and I do not want to think about traveling feeling like I can’t even get out of bed.
Well, my sweet squad mates and friends, Jared and Shelley are specialized in dealing with dehydrated patients. So we agreed and decided on letting them work on their skills and put an IV into my arm. It was such a fun experience of setting up an IV station in the middle of the visiting room at the hostel. I sat on the bed while they set up the station around me and while the staff and other visitors walked in and out. I am sure that is something you do not see everyday. After the experience of putting the IV in, I was thankful that I was starting to get fluids into my body.
Thank you, Jared and Shelley! You two are wonderful blessings! How many times will you get to say that you carried an IV-kit around with you for 9 months just so that you could use it in the middle of a hostel in Nairobi?
Later in the afternoon, around 2pm, I felt refreshed so I went to make myself useful and grab some of my items so that I could pack them up. Amanda was kind enough to bring up my big pack and already deflated my mat. I was winded by the time I made it to her tent and needed to throw up.
Again? Body! You are so interesting today! I do not know how to deal with your mood swings!
I came back to the bed after my mat was rolled up and laid down feeling so frustrated. I do not have anything to throw up! So, Mister Feeling, go away! This was the way the rest of the night went. We left Backpackers at midnight and all I had to do was put my mat away and organize a few things around before I would close my pack up. It took me 5 hours to pack in between the times I felt good and not nauseous or running out to the bushes.
When we went on the bus to take us to the airport, I had already thrown up 10 times. It was nothing bad, except for a few times of feeling like I was emptying out my very soul. It was always just water. I really did not have anything to give back to Mother Nature. I was praying that I would start to feel better once we got to the airport, but as we drove, the worse and worse it became. I ended up having the bus driver pull over so that I could throw away a leaking bag.
11 times. 11n11. Just getting one for each country!
My squad is wonderful. I just want to say that to the world.
Squad, you are wonderful! You are all so kind and a blessing. You are so helpful and made this one of the best travel days.
They filled out the forms for me for exiting Kenya, carried my packs for me, gave me water and a damp rag to place on my head, sat by me to keep me company, told me stories, prayed over me and constantly asked if there was anything they could do.
This was a humbling experience because I love to serve people. I do not love being served. It is easy for me to serve others because I love them. When they serve me, it is challenging to receive it because it is rare for someone to reach out to me before I can serve myself.
I am so thankful for each one of those that helped me because it would have been a very long night without them. I also felt so loved just by them serving me.
When we made it through security and reached our gate, it was 3am. I just grabbed my bag and slept on it. It was nice being around people, just to hear their stories and conversations so that I could be distracted. I also entertained myself by thinking of having the joy of the Lord in my heart all the time.
I’ve got the joy of the Lord down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart! I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy of the Lord, down in my heart! Down in my heart to stay.
At least that’s how I think the song goes. I made myself laugh because I was singing a song from preschool and that’s the first song I thought about but then also thought about how true those words are.
It made me smile.
When we finally boarded the plane, it was 4:30am. We were scheduled to leave around 4:45am, but I think that it was delayed. I think we sat at the terminal for a while and we did a lot of waiting on the runway. It was OK, I was able to close my eyes and rest and focus on breathing and not tossing my cookies.
When the flight to Istanbul, Turkey was over, I had visited the bathroom 4 times and for the first time ever, I used the little bag that they stick in your seat pocket! I was so excited to say that I have finally used one! I started drinking water just to throw it back up again so that it would not hurt my stomach as bad. When we exited the plane, I was crying because I was so frustrated and so tired of feeling nauseous all the time. I screamed at God a lot on the plane ride.
God, there better be a good reason why I am feeling so sick and not getting over this “malaria” or whatever I am sick with. I don’t understand.
Trust Me.
Note: I did not go to the doctor in Africa because I did not have time, could not get out of bed and if it was malaria, I took the Mefloquin that would knock it right out of my system. I was told that it would take a day or two for the medicine to hit all of my body since it was such a high dosage and that the symptoms would remain for a couple of days. I was starting to think that I was sick with something other than malaria.
When I went to get my transfer ticket to fly to Riga, Latvia, there was a problem with my ticket. I was sent to the front of the line of waiting customers so that I could get to the terminal and sit there, thank you squad for preferring me! I ended up causing a hold up instead of being a quick customer. From what I could gather from the many phone calls that were made and the English words that were thrown in with the Turkish, my name on the ticket did not match the name on my passport. The name on the ticket that was made in Nairobi, said that my name was Kathryn.
TIA. TIA.
When I received my ticket and made it through security, the sign at our gate said “Boarding Last Call”.
Oh no. There are only a handful of us through! What a fun day this has really become!
We boarded the plane and waited and waited. When others started filing in and sitting down, it was much more peaceful. We all boarded the plane except for 2 because the plane was overbooked.
But don’t you worry; they were placed in a 5-star hotel and were eating luxurious foods. They survived. Just. Fine.
I’m. So. Happy. For. You.
Really.
The plane ride was eventful. It was shorter, but a lot bumpier. The bathroom and I became great friends. The bag, excuse me, the bags and I were great friends especially after we came in for the landing.
Thank you everyone that comforted me, handed me bags, prayed for me and asked how I was doing. Your care and concern are overwhelming!
My favorite part about landing and walking off the plane was finally seeing all the snow that everyone was so excited about. It was snowing. It was cold. It was snowing! Snow was falling from the sky! It was freezing!
I felt so alive! I would do that plane ride all over again for that feeling of stepping into the brisk air and see the white snowflakes float down the sky.
Once we grabbed all over our bags and waited for the bus to come pick us up, I had to lie down on the floor and grab my stomach because of the pain. I was emotionally exhausted. I was physically dying. I was not seeing God’s plan in this. I was not mad. I was annoyed with my body. I was joyful. I was tired. The whole squad came over and prayed over me.
Thank you.
When we went back outside, I felt great. I think that the cold was such a shock to my body that I forgot all the feelings of nausea and felt wonderful. I could not run a marathon, or even 100 yards, but I felt so alive and free. When we reached the bus, I ended up making it over the count of 20 times of throwing up. I did not know how my body was going to physically make it anymore. I just did not know.
After walking through the snow, the slush puddles and the bitter cold, we reached our hostel at 5:30. I talked to Chip about going to the hospital in Riga and getting some fluids into my body. I was not keeping anything down and I was feeling so weak. He told me to lie down and he would talk to the squad leaders and see what could happen.
At 6, Chip, Shelley and I headed to the hospital in a taxi. It was a nice little joyful ride that showed us more of the city. When we pulled up to the hospital, our jaws dropped. It looked beautiful! It had a cathedral feel to the style of the architecture. The taxi driver dropped us off and pointed for us the direction we should take. We were not quite sure which was the door to enter, so we started following some girls that were going the same direction we were going. It turned out they changed their mind in the direction we were hoping they were headed, so we went to a man that was standing outside a door. We asked him if this was the hospital entrance. He said, “No.” He also said a lot of other words, but that was all I could translate for you.
Where do we go in?
Two men walked up and translated to us that the hospital was closed and that the next nearest hospital was just a kilometer away. Then they went on to invite us to come with them because they were headed there as well. After a few cautious glances between one another, a quick prayer and a reassurance that Jesus is with us, we went with them.
Am I too trusting of people? We just got here and now we are traveling with 2 random men. At least one of them seems to have an injured foot, so I could step on that if needed be. The other guy, I could poke him in the eyes and jump on his back.
As we rode in the backseat I planned a plan of defense if needed. I strategized but had to give up quickly when I realized that the driving was too intense for my stomach at the moment and especially when one of our new friends started smoking.
I guess I could throw up on them to gross them out and give a distraction.
However, that plan did not need to be put into action. They parked and pointed in a direction to go. We walked into a building that looked like very nice and modern. I went up to the front desk and asked if they spoke English. When he responded with a very English “Yes, I do”, I went on to tell him that I thought that I may have malaria and that I was really dehydrated due to all the throwing up that had occurred. The nice man explained to us that we were at the Trauma Hospital. He could not help us, but would call a taxi for us to go to the hospital that we needed to visit. As we started to sit down to wait for the taxi, a woman stood us and said, “We can take you there.”
What in the world? Where are we? Why is everyone helping us?
Well, this is where the story becomes very interesting. After talking for a few minutes and discussing why we are in Latvia, we find out that she’s a fellow Sister in Christ! She and her brother had just taken their friend to the trauma hospital so that he could get a staple out of his finger and go back to working on the Easter set for their church performance the next day. As they were sitting in the waiting room when we walked in, they were about to leave but were told to wait for a paper from the doctor.
God’s timing is incredible.
We drove to a hospital and saw a doctor. The doctor told Tabita, who came with me and translated everything for the doctor and I, that it looked like I did not have malaria. He informed me on going to a different hospital because it looked like I may have a stomach infection.
That makes more sense why I do not have a fever and why I cannot keep any thing down, why my stomach hurts and why I had to feeling to keep throwing up.
Tabita was wonderful and translating for us, talking to us about the culture and country, sharing her heart and story. Toms was wonderful and driving us around, talking to us about Latvia and his passions in life.
When we reached the infection hospital, it was past 9pm, Tabita was so kind and talked to the head registration lady and would translate for us. I was told that I was advised to go now and I would get some tests done and they would need to keep me for 1-2 nights, because it was a holiday weekend and the lab was closed. I would stay alone because of the hospital rules.
No way, I will just come back tomorrow. I do not need to spend the night in a hospital. I am doing fine now. As long as there is cold air, I am fine and don’t need to throw up.
I did not want to stay and I think everyone could tell in the immediate change in my attitude, face, speech, demeanor and everything else about me. I was terrified.
After a few minutes of discussing, it became clear that I should do follow through with staying the night and get help now so that I can get better because it was only going to get worse. I know that the Lord is with me all the time, but I still falter in times of new experiences that I am not familiar with. I proceeded to visit the nurse and discuss the plan of action. I had my vitals done and then was about to head to the back room before walking to my hospital room. This was my last chance to say goodbye to everyone and they were almost tearful and shaky on my end.
I felt like I was leaving them forever.
However, once I said my goodbyes, I had to talk to the nurse for a few more minutes, but there was laughter and encouragement that was shared before she closed the sliding door. I went to the back room and had blood drawn to make sure that it was not malaria. Then I was handed a pair of pajamas and a robe to put on.
I am wearing a prison suit, but it is really warm and I’m so thankful for that.
We walked to the hospital buildings. As we walked into the room, I just laughed.
You have got to be kidding me. Where are we? This is so ridiculous!
It looks like I am staying in a college dorm room instead of in a hospital. There were 2 beds, a desk, a window looking out into the snow, a bathroom with a HOT shower and a Western flushing toilet.
Tabita stayed with me during this whole process until I ended up getting an IV put into my arm and a shot in the butt. She is so incredible and so helpful. She stayed until almost 12:30 and left with her brother to take Chip and Shelley back to the hostel (note: Toms took Chip back to the hostel to grab some overnight items for me. Thank You, Lord for these two, to give up their night and help us!) for the night.
I fell asleep around 1am on March 31st after the nurse took the IV tube out. I woke up around 8 when the nurse came to check on me and see how I was doing.
He is Risen! He is risen, indeed! This is going to be an Easter to remember. What a series of events for this to happen. All I could do was laugh. I spent most of the morning just laughing at what the Lord had done. It was so hilarious to me.
During the morning, I read about the Resurrection in all the gospels and just worshipped Jesus and thanked Him for His love. It was a beautiful way to spend Easter. I had breakfast served to me, it was mashed potatoes and hot tea. It was interesting and I did not eat a lot in fear of throwing up and also because my stomach has not eaten for 2 days. After a while I dozed off and on before I started to go a little stir crazy. I was attached to an IV and I could not drag it around with me. I wanted to walk around the room, walk around outside, do something!
God, I want a friend to visit me today. I am going crazy right now. I am about to start talking to myself!
2 minutes later, Sam walks by my window.
What in the world? God! Thank You!
I was so excited to see Sam. I felt so loved that she would come and visit me! We talked, shared the story of the adventure and how amazing God truly is. Then we watched some movies before she left to bring Toni to me. Toni stayed with me and we talked and watched movies as well. It was so great to see friends during the day and talk to them until it was time to go to bed.
Shortly after Toni left, the nurse came in to tell me that I would be able to go home the next day. The doctor would come in and talk with me.
What? That’s great that I get to go home, but what is wrong with me? No tests were done today, I just had IVs put in and I am feeling better and able to keep food down, but why do I still feel nauseous and want to throw up when I sit up for too long or after I eat? Will I find out answers?
I wanted to ask the nurse what was wrong with me, but communication was very limited. So I prayed that when the doctor came in, explanations would occur and a diagnosis would happen for what is wrong with me.
After sleeping for the night, I woke up to snow falling. It made me really excited. It is like Christmas! I get to get out of the hospital. I can sit up without wanting to throw up and I can drink water and it wants to stay down! After spending the morning alone, I had the IV taken out at 10:30am, had vitals taken and talked to the doctor. Toni came to visit with me and pick me up from the hospital to take me to the hostel. We left the hospital around 1:30pm. 131 hours of this adventure. Just in time before we leave for our ministry locations tomorrow.
There were times of feeling alone and depressed. There were times of thankfulness and joy. There were times of feeling like I was going to go insane. There were times of feeling trapped. There were times of peace and quiet. There were times of laughter. There were times of doubt. There were times of praise. This adventure of 131 hours was incredible and a time to really see the Lord moving in all sorts of ways.
Key Points: I was sick and unsure of why. The first hospital was closed and the men that drove us to the trauma unit took us there so that we could run into Tabita and Toms, who were about to leave but waiting for a document from the doctor when we walked in. She volunteered to help us because there are not a lot of English speakers here and she loves to help and serve people. Tabita helped us so that the World Race could potentially partner with an organization that she works with in helping street children get off the streets and to have a better hope and a future. I got sick so that the World Race could have another contact in Latvia so that the Lord could move more in this country. This is the first time the Race has made it out to Latvia, there are very few contacts here and the Lord has given us another one.
Also, our whole squad was served and loved in so many ways. They were given a church to attend on Easter, given warm clothes and shoes, served 2 meals and loved on. The Lord really does answer prayers.
Thanks Lord for choosing me in this adventure so that I may see a part of Your purpose of You prevailing and being glorified in Latvia.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. I am excited to start Month 10! We are in Europe, in Latvia, there is snow and there are wonderful people to love on. I am thankful for this part of the adventure.
