Rain + Stomach Ache + Internet =....

It equals "stuck inside with minimal connection to the outside world." The stomach problems that I had last week (and while Sam was here, and once before Sam was here) returned this morning with a vengeance. I woke up around 7:40, feeling ok and ready for my 8:40 class....but while I was walking to class I began to feel terrible. And by the time I got to class, I could hardly stand up. My torso felt like it was being shredded from the indside. My boss, who I was co-teaching with, could tell something was wrong but I tried to push through it. Which absolutely backfired. A few minutes later I was puking in a trashcan (which I'm pretty sure had algae growing in it) outside of the classroom, in full view of most of my students and definitely my boss. I did my best to be dainty about it--holding back my own hair and cream-colored, lace scarf--but let's be honest. It's gross.

Of course, my boss sent me home, assuring me that it was "serious" and that she'd bring me some medicine later. I'd already descibed my symptoms to her, before I vomited for everyone's entertainment. Walking home, though, I thought I was going to pass out. And I'm not the type of person that passes out. Thankfully I made it back to room, rushed to the toilet, and then just absolutely collapsed. I was shaking, freezing but covered in sweat, could barely stand, and, worst of all, doubled over in pain. I wanted to sleep but the pain kept me wide awake, so for several hours I just dozed in between waves of pain.

As promised, my boss, Ms. Hong, hand delivered a batch of meds to my door. She had told me earlier that she had a "great chemist" that always fixed her stomach problems. After a couple hours in the fetal position, I had texted my boss to skip the chemist and just take me to a doctor (after all, this is the fourth--and worst--time this has happened in a little over a month), but she'd left her mobile at home. When she arrived, I agreed to take the medicine for two days and see if the situation improved. She kept saying that the pills would help my "destiny", while rubbing her stomach. I'm assuming "destiny" in this case means "digestion", but if they help my destiny, I'm ok with that too.

One goodbad thing about Vietnam is that I can walk up to a counter and get medicine here that, in the states, I could only get with a prescription or a gun to someone's head. For example, I easily and cheaply bought some antivirals here that are expensive and hard to get in the states. Another difference is that, here, you dont buy a whole package of medicine, but you just buy the number of pills you need. The pharmacist just cuts up the blister pack and gives you x number of pills for x number of days' treatment. Great, right? Well, kinda. It's great when you know what kind of medicine you need and how much of it to take, like with those antivirals that I've been taking since the first time I got shingles when I was 12 years old. But when your boss is buying your drugs, and the drugs aren't sold in the packages but just in the little blister packs, without the information pamphlet, medicinal consumption becomes a bit more scary. I didn't know what exactly I was taking or how it would react with any other medicine I take. I tried to google the names on the backs of the blister packs, but that plan met only partial success since on of the blister packs didn't have the full name on it (it had been cut off).

I learned, to my relief, that 2 of the 3 drugs Ms. Hong brought me were of French manufacture--always a good sign with medicine here. One was just activated charcoal, and I was told to take two of those pills before I ate. The second turned out to be a French variety of a drug called Metronidazole, which is used to treat, among many other things, protozoal and anarobic bacterial infections, including those from heliobacter pylori (which, thanks to my senior year bio class, I know causes ulcers). Two of those pills after I ate. The third pill, one of which to be taken after eating, has yet to be idenitified, but the first two seem legit so I'm not too worried.

(Edit: Since writing this blog, further investigation has revealed that the mysterious "third pill" is most likely Pancrecarb, a medication that contains digestive enzymes to help break down and digest fats, starch, and proteins in food. Seems harmless enough)

The bottom line is that I'm starting to feel better. Some of the pain has subsided and the frequency of bathroom trips has been reduced. Since the last time these stomach problems occured, they lasted for days, I'm willing to give some of the credit to the drugs. Last time I just self medicated with hot water and mashed up ginger. I hate taking a lot of medicine though, especially without knowing the cause of the problem, and 10 pills a day is really not my thing. Hopefully this round of meds will permanently get rid of whatever is causing my problems.

In addition to the fact that I hate being relegated to my room and curled up in the fetal position for days at a time, the stomach problems are getting in the way of my work. I missed a couple classes last week, and today I left my morning class early and canceled my evening class. The semester is nearly over--in fact, today was the last day of my morning class before the exam--and it's not an optimal time to play hookie.

My dear students are so sweet, though. Three of them brought me my umbrella, which I'd forgotten as I stumbled out of class this morning, and sent me back to bed with their own gambit of medical advice.

Aaaand, one of those three students just got an interview for a scholarship I told her about. I'm SO excited for her! If she gets it, she'll be able to study in the states for 6 months, which, for many students here, is a dream that will probably never become a reality.

Another student, Carrot, the girl whose English name I so defended, has changed her name to Holly. All my efforts were for naught. Yesterday I received an urgent-sounding text message, followed by an even more frantic email, from her, saying the following:

This afternoon I heard you saying something like, "I'll leave on the 8th"..... You aren't going to leave us, are you? Please answer me as soon as possible ( T___T )

Carrot

She seems to be continuing with 'carrot' as her pen name, at least. I assured her that I was only going to Danang on the 8th and that I would be back, much to her joy ("ohhhhhhhh....... thanks !!!! I was in a very bad mood since the afternoon. I didn't want to know that you will leave us that SOON :):):) thanks a lot, Miss :):):)" ). She continued to ask me if I was "really a vegetarian", and when I explained that i was, she said she was surprised since most vegetarians are pale and weak but I always have so much energy in her class. She added that I needed more sleep, though, since I yawn sometimes. :) It turns out that Carrot was also the artiste who made the hand-made teacher's day card that I received from her class. You know, the one that had 'We love you so much!" written on it about a billion times, in addition to "Please stay with us as long as possible!" beside a sad face. I bet this girl is a master of peer pressure.

Even with the care of my boss, Katherine, my students, a mysterious person who just texted me to ask about my health since she "saw [my] face turn pale today"--I swear, the walls here have eyes--being sick on the other side of the world isn't my favorite thing. And the chronic nature of this problem is just frustrating. I'm vagina-crossing my fingers that a little charcoal, metronidazole and mystery drug clear it all up before rainy season ends and beach season starts again. :)