"One Thing I Can Guarantee . . .

you is that you will be sick at least a couple times on the TBB trip." Those words, spoken by Mr. Stakich in June, during my TBB application interview, now reverberate in my head like a rubber ball bouncing on the sidewalk.

Wow! The last 24 hours have been an adventure - and to think I actually thought I had an ironclad stomach.

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling pretty sick, but I decided to press on. The pains would surely subside and we had activities planned. Cleaning the beach and helping children paint a town mural were at the top of the list. My inconveniences could certainly wait. Wrong. Bad idea!   

After a short walk to the beach soon I quickly became violently ill. Let's just say the beach was much cleaner before I arrived. I was taken back to the hostel where I spent the day with three of my friends, who also weren't quite in game shape. Unfortunately, my condition only got worse throughout the day. Nothing would stay down in me. I was leaking oil out both ends, as my dad would say. By early evening, things had progressed to the point where the TBB counselors thought a tour of the local hospital was in order. I begged relentlessly to fight it out at the hostel, but my actions were speaking louder than my words.

Having never been to an Emergency room as a patient, let alone an Emergency Room in Ecuador, I was more than a little nervous to go on this particular field trip. At the hospital Lorena explained my symptoms to the admissions staff and I was immediately taken to a large room with a few hospital beds and more swarming bugs than I care to remember. The kind nurses, however, made me feel as comfortable as I could, gave me an IV and took blood samples. After an hour of making friends with the bugs, who thought my blood tasted just fine, thank you, I was told that I had a bacteria in my blood and was prescribed with antibiotics (Ciprofloxacino, Buscapina Compositum and Enterogermina).

I must say that although the experience was frightening, the efficiency of what looked to be a very rudimentary hospital was impresseive and the people very kind. Needless to say, I am most thankful to all that helped me.

The good news is that I am feeling much better today. The TBB group heads back to Los Narajos to continue our work and our stay with host families. I hope to join them.  

I will have internet again in a few weeks and look forward to giving you updates on my continuing adventures.

So long for now!

maddie p