Karen is officially Tanzanian!
Hello again,
I have been away for 9 days in Canada then Germany (all work related) and now I am 'home again' in Tanzania. It was wonderful to see all of my beloved (and you really are) family and friends in Kingston. My house felt opulent and castle like for th first 24hours and then I started to feel that it was my new reality once again. It is amazing how you adjust to two very different worlds.
I had an interesting experience on arrival home in KIngston and, Jenn Carpenter is my witness. The story goes like this: I have had a small sore on my left big toe for more than a month now. I thought it was a bloo blister at first and didn't really know how I managed to get it. I sort of picked at it and tried to pull it off a few times but it would not budge nor did it seem to be healing in any way. When I arrived in Kingston and started wearing closed toes shoes again (although my feet really wanted to wear sandals. I started to feel some pain over that site. I described it to Jenn one day and asked if she would look at it to see if she knew the diagnosis. She said 'sounds likethe chiggers'. My heart sank and I felt sick all at the same time. Chiggers are a flea that burrows under the skin of feet in the part of Africa where we have been living. I had seen children with many of them on their feel but generally they were large infected sores so it never ocurred to me an early version of this DISGUSTING parasite. Any way, several hours later and after a glass of wine, we did the operation. Jenn soaked my toe in peroxide nd went and got a small foreps. I picked the top of the lesion off and out popped a white wormy like thing. She ran into the kitchen gagging (I am totally serious) and I felt very pale and sick all of a sudden). Yes, the ER physician who lances boils and drains pus was disgusted and sickened by the living creature in my toe!! After I calmed down a little, I managed to pull it out and it broke in half...so now half a flea/worm was stuck in my toe. After a bit of work I eventually pulled the second bit out. I went home and soaked my toe to ensure all the body parts of this tunga penetrans (its latin name) were fully extracted. My toes is now fully recovered and I bought a pair of better shoes as a birthday gift to myself in Frankfurt...ones that should prevent further foot flea infestations. I hope none of you are feeling too squeamish but it was possibly one of the most disgusting things I have ever done and it was on my body!! THAT, my friends, is why I now consider myself a true Tanznaian.
Picutres and more to follow tomorrow on the new women's centre....I got the keys today...this is a big step for PREVENTION THROUGH EMPOWERMENT.
I have been away for 9 days in Canada then Germany (all work related) and now I am 'home again' in Tanzania. It was wonderful to see all of my beloved (and you really are) family and friends in Kingston. My house felt opulent and castle like for th first 24hours and then I started to feel that it was my new reality once again. It is amazing how you adjust to two very different worlds.
I had an interesting experience on arrival home in KIngston and, Jenn Carpenter is my witness. The story goes like this: I have had a small sore on my left big toe for more than a month now. I thought it was a bloo blister at first and didn't really know how I managed to get it. I sort of picked at it and tried to pull it off a few times but it would not budge nor did it seem to be healing in any way. When I arrived in Kingston and started wearing closed toes shoes again (although my feet really wanted to wear sandals. I started to feel some pain over that site. I described it to Jenn one day and asked if she would look at it to see if she knew the diagnosis. She said 'sounds likethe chiggers'. My heart sank and I felt sick all at the same time. Chiggers are a flea that burrows under the skin of feet in the part of Africa where we have been living. I had seen children with many of them on their feel but generally they were large infected sores so it never ocurred to me an early version of this DISGUSTING parasite. Any way, several hours later and after a glass of wine, we did the operation. Jenn soaked my toe in peroxide nd went and got a small foreps. I picked the top of the lesion off and out popped a white wormy like thing. She ran into the kitchen gagging (I am totally serious) and I felt very pale and sick all of a sudden). Yes, the ER physician who lances boils and drains pus was disgusted and sickened by the living creature in my toe!! After I calmed down a little, I managed to pull it out and it broke in half...so now half a flea/worm was stuck in my toe. After a bit of work I eventually pulled the second bit out. I went home and soaked my toe to ensure all the body parts of this tunga penetrans (its latin name) were fully extracted. My toes is now fully recovered and I bought a pair of better shoes as a birthday gift to myself in Frankfurt...ones that should prevent further foot flea infestations. I hope none of you are feeling too squeamish but it was possibly one of the most disgusting things I have ever done and it was on my body!! THAT, my friends, is why I now consider myself a true Tanznaian.
Picutres and more to follow tomorrow on the new women's centre....I got the keys today...this is a big step for PREVENTION THROUGH EMPOWERMENT.
posted by karenandroman at 3:49 AM
2 Comments:
Hey Karen, so glad to hear you are back safe and sound in your second home.
Take care and keep up the great work.
Love ya
Lise
I just have one thing to say:
"Oy Vey!"
Love,
Al
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