Blogs from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa - page 55

Boxing day has a very different purpose here. More on this later. Sadly I had a single bout of diarrhoea this morning, after a couple of normalish faeces. I suspect, as I ate more than I have been typically yesterday, that it is as a result of that. I don't think I still have any infection, but I think the lining of my intestines has been damaged slightly, possible resulting in something called malabsorption. When I get the lab results back, I will see my doctor and see what she thinks. I had a fairly quiet morning. In the afternoon I had another Swahili lesson. Next lesson I will starting going through a book and course. For today, we did another noun class, as well as many questions comparing life in Britain and Zanzibar. In the ... read more

Compared to the day before, yesterday was much quieter. I spent the day mostly resting again, although I made a short trip to the local shops. Appetite still not what it was, but as I am not getting that much exercise this is not too much of a problem. I haven't really lost much weight at all. In the evening I listened to Carols From Kings - on BBC World Service. Even though I may be many miles from Cambridge, I can still hear it on the radio. ... read more

For once yesterday I was not greeted with diarrhoea. I went to see the doctor in the morning anyway, bring the stool sample from yesterday (which had been frozen) with me. After a little wait, (and a chat with the administrator Francis) I saw the Doctor. She told me the stool sample had to be taken in a sterile container, and that I would need to go to the labs to get one. So the stool sample I brought (taken in a matchbox) was binned. She was helpful enough, but little great change. Then I went with Francis to the labs to get a sterile container. Unfortunately they did not have one, and I was told it did not matter. The logic being stool is far from sterile. So I guess the now binned sample would ... read more

Woke up this morning hoping for good health. Sadly greeted after short while with another bout of diarrhoea (three bowel movements). Took sample to hospital to be tested, also Widal test for typhoid again. After being told to wait for two hours for results, decide to go back to the house, as it's only a short distance away. I could have walked if I felt ok, but catch a taxi instead, costing the equivalent of 75pence. Back at house get diarrhoea again, even though I have not eaten breakfast, and there's virtually nothing left in my digestive system. After two further diarrhoeal episodes of essentially clear liquid (as well as two loperamide and plenty of oral rehydration solution) feel it's time to head back to the hospital. I was getting worried that I was not actually ... read more

Yesterday I spent resting and recovering. I still feel pretty weak, and the drugs are still making me feel ill. I spent the day mostly watching TV, listening to the radio and reading a newspaper. My faeces are staying fairly close to normal, but still not entirely normal. Hopefully once I am off the drug, they will be entirely normal. Immediately after lunch I actually felt quite well, I think some glucose slipped into me in the gap between the old dose of the drug running out, and the new dose getting started. Hopefully the worms did not feel similarly energised. They should have much small energy reserves though, they are microscopic after all. I also received a phone call from home, which also helped. Being at the house all the time, I am a bit ... read more