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Published: August 11th 2008
Goin down the only road I've ever known....
Okay, well maybe its not the only road I've ever known but this travel fever is deep in my blood and in my veins and I'm not sure if or when it will ever leave (and to be honest I'm not sure I ever want it to!). I've been back for three months and damn, soo much has happened but then again so much hasn't. I've been applying for jobs in Africa ever since I got home and always had the same reply -
"You need your master's"! Okay, great, its not that I don't want my master's cause I do it's just that I don't have the funds for it (nor for housing or anything else for that matter, at least not now!). I spent all my money in Africa and am pretty broke. I got a job as soon as I came home working in Stowe but I just had to go and get bitten by a mosquito in Ghana, that just happened to carry the deadliest strain of malaria. I had been home for a week and a half when I suddenly had the most painful headache of my life. It went on for three days with my parents worried and saying that we need to go to the emergency room but seeing as how I was broke and had NOOO health insurance that was the last thing I was about to do. Well, I was confused, delirious, couldn't eat or drink, fever of 101/102 vomited any little fluids in my stomach, couldn't walk, etc. so I decided it was time. We went up to the Emergency Care place up on Shelburne road (vomiting all the way up, screaming/yelling in pain) and as soon as the doctor came out and saw me he said I needed to go straight to the emergency room. They got me right in and tried hooking me up to IVs but my veins were soo dry it took em a while (and those who know me know I hate needles). The doctor there asked me what was going on and when I told him I thought I had malaria he said "well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here, let's do some tests for some other things". My heart beat should have been around 90 but it was over 150 beats per minute and my blood pressure was wayyy down 70/30. I had a fever of 104 and just felt AWFUL! Well, an hour later he came back and said "well, you've got malaria (not the real dangerous kind) and hepatitis" - malaria, okay I can deal with that, but hepatitis! I got both my hep A and B shots, so what's the deal. Well the deal was that the next day (sunday) they came back and I've never been so scared before because the face that my doctor has just wasn't that of GOOD news! Turns out I didn't have hepatitis but had Plasmodium falciparum - only the deadliest form of malaria - can cause cerebral malaria. My liver was shutting down and my blood count was really low and wasn't reproducing itself. They watched me like hawks, had lots and lots of blood drawn and felt better each day, though extremely weak, no appetite, was racin to the bathroom ever 5 minutes(or less -seriously no joke!). I had blood and plasma transfussions and finally on Wednesday, after 8 doctors and lots and lots of nurses I was going home, or so I thought! Turns out I then had internal bleeding and wasn't able to leave until Friday. Since then I've been better besides the fact that I had a "mysterious infection" which turned out to be a staph infection and the fact that my parents continuously remind me that I was soo sick and they weren't sure I was going to make it. The best news of it all is that my entire, yes, ENTIRE hospital bill was covered by hospital grants. We aren't sure what the total bill was but we all guessed it cleared the 100/200K mark! But I would like to thank all of those who visited me in the hospital, sent flowers, gifts and cards of well wishes.
Now back to the real point of this blog is that last week I received a call regarding a job offer and well, it just sounds soo good that I had to accept. Saturday they called me and said I needed to be there by Wednesday! So here I am off tomorrow to Doha, Qatar. Its a small country in the Middle East - deep in the Persian Gulf, just east of Saudi Arabia to teach English to kindergarten children. Yes, it's in the Persian Gulf, surrounded by the infamous countries of Saudi Arabia (actually share a border), Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan but yet far enough away that I'LL BE FINE! My parents aren't so fine with this, well maybe my mom, but my dad was a most definite NO in this decisions. But its an amazing opportunity and the whole point is to save save and save while I'm over there so that I can attend grad school next fall. My top choice is actually the American University in Cairo, Egypt where I will get my master's in refugee migration/international law and there are also a few schools in D.C. that I'm applying to.
So I'm off for the year and while I would have loved to have had at least a week to prepare (i've only had 4 days) it just wasn't going to work. So this is a "peace out" to you all but I'll be back next summer and can't wait to see you all then. I will of course keep up on this blog and can receive email at daniellej6@hotmail.com If anyone wants to visit the more the merrier but you can only come if you bring me red wine or GOOD vodka - again, it's an arab country so alcohol is illegal. I can drink it in any american/british establishments there ONCE I've applied and received my "drinking license" which must be obtained from the Qatari police- its soo great, its like im turning 21 again and will make a great souvenir! I will have a phone and address over there and will email that info later as I get it this week
Peace and love to all,
Danielle
Itinerary - leave tuesday, august 12 at 4:30 pm on jetblue flight, arriving at 6pm and then leave jfk on emirates flight 202 to dubai, UAE (13 hour flight!!!) and then flight 845 from Dubai to Doha (45 minutes)
As I was writing this blog my mother sent me the link to register with the U.S. Embassy in Doha, so yes, I am now registered, they know that I'm there for a year and will be arriving on Wednesday. No worries!!
Here is some info on Qatar:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1003.html
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Heather
non-member comment
Be Safe
Danielle: I am so excited for you. I am glad to hear you are all better, and that you are off on you next adventure...I enjoy living vicariously through your blogs...have a great time, be safe...love you -Heather p.s. when will you be back??