Since we last posted, the two major events in our lives have been getting ready to move and digestive issues (warning: if hearing about digestive issues makes you queasy, please skip to the section below the tribute). After nearly five months without having major stomach problems – a near miracle for new Peace Corps volunteers – Dan had it coming out of both ends so we headed to the Hospital Evangelico (our second visit; my dog bite being the first). When his stool sample was analyzed, his diagnosis was a virus and bacteria. A week of antibiotics and rehydration salts – more about those later – and he was back to normal.
About a week after his recovery, we both had the runs again. Since this is a fairly normal occurrence in our Peace Corps experience, I wasn’t too concerned for myself, but was worried that perhaps Dan needed more antibiotics, so back to the hospital we went (trip number three). This time, Dan’s diagnosis was parasites, or as they are sometimes called in the campo, animalitos (the direct translation is “little animals”). Three or four days later, with a low fever and continuing digestive issues, I decided that perhaps I, too, had animalitos. When we went to the Hospital Evangelico for our fourth visit in a little over two months in Siguat, my diagnosis was also parasites. We learned two important things from this experience: Peace Corps volunteers have wonderful medical care, and that the old saying is true: the couple that shares parasites together stays together.
After drinking rehydration salts, called Sorassel, on and off for numerous weeks, our appreciation of them is great. Dan, the poet laureate of all problems digestive, has written a tribute in their honor, which we hope you will enjoy.
A long overdue tribute to Sorassel – Sales de Rehidratacion Oral
Diarrhea, vomit, diarrhea again, days and nights alongside old friend John,
Parasites, viruses, bacteria too have made guest appearances at the toilathon,
12 select ingredients, sensuous and simple, rehydrate our parched souls,
7.1 grams of granulated solution replace our mournful losses to toilet bowls,
Glucosa Anhidra, dear friend that it is, constitutes much of this magic elixir,
Neither Pepsi nor Coke nor exotic fruits could dare hope to trump this mixer,
We must also make mention of another olive carrying dove, sodium, as well
Which delicately delivers peace to our stomachs after antibiotics have raised hell,
Pour, mix, and drink it up until the scorching sun bakes the bottom of the cup
And as the cup’s core is seared all the more, to the last precious drop we’ll sup,
Sorassel, sweet and salty, deliverer of countless brilliant and microscopic pearls
Diligently instructs how to dissolve and create that precious gift for he who hurls,
Sorassel, dear sweet, and salty, Sorassel, to the world we owe your story to tell
Now that our systems are back to normal, all of our energy can be fixed on getting our house ready. After living with host families for over five months, and house searching for two, we finally found the perfect house. It is a little green house with a front porch that will be perfect for chatting with neighbors and a backyard that will allow us to plant sugarcane, corn, papaya, bananas, a little vegetable garden, and anything else we could hope for. There are already two mango trees there (to those who are interested in visiting: mango season is roughly March-May), which we hope will be bearing an abundance of fruit in the springtime. Fortunately, our next-door-neighbor has a tree that produces so many mangos she can’t give them away, so even if our trees are still too young to bear fruit, we will be able to work out a deal with her.
About a week after his recovery, we both had the runs again. Since this is a fairly normal occurrence in our Peace Corps experience, I wasn’t too concerned for myself, but was worried that perhaps Dan needed more antibiotics, so back to the hospital we went (trip number three). This time, Dan’s diagnosis was parasites, or as they are sometimes called in the campo, animalitos (the direct translation is “little animals”). Three or four days later, with a low fever and continuing digestive issues, I decided that perhaps I, too, had animalitos. When we went to the Hospital Evangelico for our fourth visit in a little over two months in Siguat, my diagnosis was also parasites. We learned two important things from this experience: Peace Corps volunteers have wonderful medical care, and that the old saying is true: the couple that shares parasites together stays together.
After drinking rehydration salts, called Sorassel, on and off for numerous weeks, our appreciation of them is great. Dan, the poet laureate of all problems digestive, has written a tribute in their honor, which we hope you will enjoy.
A long overdue tribute to Sorassel – Sales de Rehidratacion Oral
Diarrhea, vomit, diarrhea again, days and nights alongside old friend John,
Parasites, viruses, bacteria too have made guest appearances at the toilathon,
12 select ingredients, sensuous and simple, rehydrate our parched souls,
7.1 grams of granulated solution replace our mournful losses to toilet bowls,
Glucosa Anhidra, dear friend that it is, constitutes much of this magic elixir,
Neither Pepsi nor Coke nor exotic fruits could dare hope to trump this mixer,
We must also make mention of another olive carrying dove, sodium, as well
Which delicately delivers peace to our stomachs after antibiotics have raised hell,
Pour, mix, and drink it up until the scorching sun bakes the bottom of the cup
And as the cup’s core is seared all the more, to the last precious drop we’ll sup,
Sorassel, sweet and salty, deliverer of countless brilliant and microscopic pearls
Diligently instructs how to dissolve and create that precious gift for he who hurls,
Sorassel, dear sweet, and salty, Sorassel, to the world we owe your story to tell
Now that our systems are back to normal, all of our energy can be fixed on getting our house ready. After living with host families for over five months, and house searching for two, we finally found the perfect house. It is a little green house with a front porch that will be perfect for chatting with neighbors and a backyard that will allow us to plant sugarcane, corn, papaya, bananas, a little vegetable garden, and anything else we could hope for. There are already two mango trees there (to those who are interested in visiting: mango season is roughly March-May), which we hope will be bearing an abundance of fruit in the springtime. Fortunately, our next-door-neighbor has a tree that produces so many mangos she can’t give them away, so even if our trees are still too young to bear fruit, we will be able to work out a deal with her.
Our house from the backyard
We are currently cleaning the house in preparation for painting before we finally move in. The neighborhood we are in does not have water 24-7, so we have water in half-days (for example, we’ll have water in the morning on Monday, in the afternoon on Tuesday, in the morning on Wednesday, etc.), so we are learning to plan around this schedule. The pila (a big concrete basin with a washboard next to it) will provide water for us in the times that the water is turned off, but currently needs to be cleaned so it does not become a dengue-breeding house. We will spend the next couple of days cleaning and painting in preparation for moving in this weekend.
Anyway, we hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season and that your hearts are filled with all the joys the season has to bring. Peace on earth and good will toward all!
