It is not always a pleasant morning...

Today not so good.

Vamsi says I have more medicine than some
COUNTIES in Liberia.

For the past 24 hours I have been experiencing unpleasant abdominal indigestion, bowel movements and well just near diarrhea. I don’t think I am suffering from anything more than too much coffee, too much alcohol, a diet that is just not “regular,” and still recovering from Fridays exhausting journey. All that a little bit of nervous stress energy – which we all know I am prone to be a worrier when the worry virus takes over.

What’s to worry about – well little things seem big when you are already worrying LOL. So the “security” lights on the back of the house are out – and they won’t be replaced of course until Monday when “office hours” for the compound resume – I could surely make a stink – but then I would  be complaining on the weekend and that would lead to bad relations with the Lebanese management who were already here due to the cable being out and Mamie forgetting to tell them until after 6 on Friday – so they thought we were upset and came on SATURDAY morning which was embarrassing – because we really don’t care nor watch that much tv but just wanted it fixed for when we do – Mamie has been a source for many a miscommunication because she wants to properly “represent/advocate” on our behalf.

I have decided that this week I am going to bring an “interpreter” to the house so I can speak with Mamie about hygiene, priorities,  and external communication in general.

So surely, the lights are not big of a deal normally, except that I live in a fishbowl – and there is plenty of security and compound staff that mill about – and surely they are not trying to look in or listen and such – but surely they have free range – and it just is one sense of security that is now missing. It is even more uncomfortable because Vamsi left this morning for two nights and three days and well – A definitive sense of being alone – he may or may not be able to call as mobile phone reception is not all over the entire country – and as he travels to different counties he is extremely busy and of course exhausting. Traveling is not easy – I know this now from my simple trip to Bensenville – I can’t imagine traveling for 8/10 hours on these “roads” and then having to meet with your regional staff and the government staff.

So not returning until Tuesday evening will surely leave me with a sense of being on “high guard.”

That and this persistent stomach issue – of course there are so many “things” one can contract from so many “sources” that your mind circles when you are already not feeling well – Do I have worms (yes worms) we already know two other people who have suffered from worms. But I check my stool with utmost attention when feeling even the slightest upset stomach. This is the way of visiting Africa – and no, there is no vaccination for worms – you just do your best to drink bottled water and not eat any “fresh foods” from unknown sources.  Here at the house any vegetable or fruit is washed in a bleach and filtered water solution – even limes for my cocktails or soaked for five minutes. I walk around with wet ones and constantly disinfect anything that comes from a store. And when the tv repairman came afterwards I had to wipe everything, the remote, the door handles, the windows, to keep possible contamination as most folks don’t wash their hands.

How I wash fresh food

Of course there are other bacteria and micro organisms – and I do my best to avoid them – and I have plenty of medicine a closet really. But it is all so prohibitive –

Even making simple breakfast can be a chore – Though I procure eggs from the Lebanese supermarket and they are imported from Europe – they still need to be washed. The onion and tomatoes need to be soaked before sautéing. Oh then there is the actual gas stove – seems like a plus eh? Except you have to remember to put on shoes to light the stove because otherwise you will get shocked/mildly electrocuted. You think I would have learned by now – not to touch the stove LOL

Our secret weapon...

Yes the electric flow is not even nor grounded – so every time I light the stove I risk a few more nerve cells in my body – and to say the feeling is unpleasant…ah I don’t want to worry my friend Tommy Engel too much as he reads this to his mother.

But then it is time to light the stove to start breakfast and sigh – the power goes out. So now I sit and wait will be it five minutes? 20 minutes?

These are first world problems – but they do become exhausting – so I will nibble on fresh pineapple and some cold instant coffee in hopes that YES the power is back on and I run to the stove to light the burner before it goes out – and YES – I forgot to put on shoes and now my arm hurts and surely in a month I will have lost all the nerve cells in my right arm…

Sigh- so I will do my best to chin up, pray, know that I am in good hands, that all is right, that I am healthy, and this too shall pass. The new normal will become comforting soon enough.