The Worst Day ever!

Disclaimer: Computer time is of short supply and I am letting you know
in advance that I may have some grammar errors in my e-mail.

Hi all!

Its been a couple of weeks since I last wrote and many interesting
things have been happening here in Nicaragua as I expect are happening
back home. Life in San Juan de Oriente is very tranquillo and much
slower then in California but in now way is it dull. I was going to
write about all the political happenings in Nicaragua and with us,
trainees, trying to vote. Then tell you all about the mold and how it
grows on almost everything, about learning how to make ceramics using
the manual pottery wheel (lots of kicking), and about the Finca (farm)
party we had and all the random games we played with Kendell´s host
family. And I will but I first must tell you about the worst day
ever.

This week started off with a me having a cold by Wednesday it was
really bad but nothing I couldn´t handle. But by wed night I had some
weird pain in my lower abs. So I went to bed hopping I would wake up
with the runs. I awoke Thursday moring to more pain now in my chest
area but the cold was feeling better and no runs. (yes!!) So I went
to Spanish class figuring I would feel better as the day progressed.
WRONG! By lunch time I was crying because I could only take short
breaths due to the pain in my chest and I had no idea what was wrong
with me. I had to call the PC Medical Officer (the doctors) and Dr.
Martha said I needed to come to Managua to get checked out. Lucky for
me Don Douglas our bus driver was going to be able to take me to
Managua, so I would not have to ride a cramp school bus.

I get to the Peace Corps office and I am in a haze. I not breathing
well by body aches I cant lay down and I have now idea what or how to
get though all the forms for PC or where to go a blood test or food.
Plus every 5 minutes or so I burst into tears because I have never
felt this bad or had a breath problem before and its really scary and
painful.

I spend the next five hours waiting around, bursting into tears in
front of all my bosses and finally asking to call my parents so that I
can stop worrying that they are going to freak out when they call my
house and I am not there. Dr. Martha finally calls me in to check me
out. She needs me to lay down to better examine the pain I am having.
So she tries to help me lay down and I feel like my throat closes up
and I cant breath. Now I am hysterically crying and gasping for air.
So I am put on a saline inhaler to help open my airways. It does and
the doctor is able to examine me. She pokes me gives me a funny look
then walks outside to get the other Dr. He pokes me then they both
go back outside. I am able to breath more normally so I am not to
freaked out but I don't think its a good thing that they are leaving
the room. They come back in and tell me that I can go to the hospital
to get test run now or I could go to the hotel and do the tests in the
morning. This days has already been horrible enough for me I don't
want it to end in a hospital visit so I choose the hotel. So off I am
sent with 2 inhaler medications, antibiotics, Tylenol for the fever,
and ibuprofen for the pain.

After a horrible sleepless night I go back to the office to get more
test done I have an ultrasound, a chest xray and blood drawn. I wait
around all day, but now know where things are and I can get food and
not feel like a 5 year old being driven around everywhere by Don
Douglas. My results are all normal. So now there is no specific
cause as to my pain and breathing problems which has lessened through
out the day. I still have to stay over night for one more blood test
and see if I am getting better.

The next morning I feel a hundred times better. So I am waiting
around the office for my results when George the country director
comes into the Volunteer lounge looking for me. He calls me into his
office which feels like I´m going to see the principal and he calm me
tells me that my parents are very worried about me and had called the
Office of Special Services (oss) (which is the emergency PC number)
and that I need to call my parents. I breath a sigh of relief it was
nothing terrible and that my loving parents were concerned about me
because they couldn't get ahold of me at the hotel. So I was able to
call home and reassure my parents that was feeling better and would be
back with the Family but that afternoon. Then George had to call OSS
and let them know everything was resolved. I saw the doctor and she
said my results are normal and that I need to just keep taking the
medication and see if I get better in a week. Still after 3 blood
samples in 3 days, a chest xray, and ultrasound she has no really idea
why I am having pain.

Today I have more pain and cant take normal breaths but nothing nearly
as back as Thursday. Tomorrow I have to get more blood drawn and then
talk to the doctors again. I am happy to say that PC Nicaragua does
not mess around with the cost of figuring out whats wrong with you.
Now I just have to focus on getting better and getting things done in
these last few weeks of training. Think healthy thoughts.

Here is a recap of the more fun side of training.

Mold grows everywhere. I have lost a bracelet to mold. I had to
clean 5 bags that had mold on it and I even found mold growing on my
shoes. Lots of soap and scrubbing.

Making ceramic looks easy but it not. I am in the process of make a
few ceramic bowls. The family we meet is really nice and is happy to
show us how to make ceramic. We are happy to learn and seem to
provide them with a lot of amusement as we attempt to kick the wheel
mold the barro (clay), don't apply to much pressure, oh yeah remember
to keep kicking the wheel)

Finca (farm) parties in Masatepe with Kendall´s family was amazing.
They family was so excited to have as go with them to their finca to
have a BBQ. They planned all kinds of games for us to play. Banana
eating contest, saco water balloon volleyball, water balloon relay,
and saco races. I think my blue team one but who knows. It was a ton
of fun.

There is a huge election coming up in Nicaragua on Nov 9th. There are
parades and rallies all the time. They shoot of ¨bombs¨ which are
just loud fireworks that go bang. Its annoying. Then they had a
rally in SJO that became a huge dance party. Peace Corps required
that we do not associate so I just observe the craziness of it all in
passing. Interesting thing about politics here is that its all about
the colors. Pink is the new red and black that stands for Sandinista,
red is the liberal 1 party, and red with a Nike swoosh and a 9 is
another liberal party. You can easily identify homes what are for
which party because they have propaganda painted on there houses.

Here are some photos.



All the best,
Olenka

Write me:
PCT olenka langen
Cuerpo de Paz
Apartado Postal 3256
Managua, Nicaragua
Central America