The One Where I am Back in the West

This post is long over due. Apparently 3 am is an inspiring time to write. I have been back in Iowa for a good 5 weeks now. [The foods been great!] It’s been an interesting 5 weeks, included with trips to the ER as a patient and dressed in scrubs. I brought home a souvenir that scared the crap out of my family—A staph infection. It was in my armpit, I noticed it at first in Rwanda but I thought it was just razor burn. Then it got sore and by the time I got back to the US it decided to take over. I think it started out as razor burn but something got into the opening of the skin, probably from the water or something. I’ll spare you the details but it got pretty nasty and on a rare weekend when all 5 of us were actually together I showed it to them. Eric freaked. He was convinced I was going to die; this led the rest of my fam to think the same; forcing me to have the privilege of experiencing the worst pain of my life. [I changed my mind, I’m not gonna spare you all the details]. The doc had to dig around in my armpit with a knife, probably the size of a machete. And I’m talking deep. At least an inch and that’s not even exaggerating, that’s what my mom said (who doesn’t exaggerate). He tried to numb it but it was just too deep. He cleared everything out in about 10 minutes or so but it felt like 10 hours. That was about 4 weeks ago, it’s all healed except for bruising. The nice thing is the hair is minimal now. So not worth the pain though.

2 days later, I began EMT school at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. I just took my final Monday and passed with a 95%, not to brag or anything. In that time I did clinical time in the ER here in Iowa City and ambulance ride time with Johnson County. I got to see and help with a lot of cool things—especially since it’s a university hospital where they get all the cool stuff. To be nationally certified I have to take the national practical exam. There are 2 parts to it: the written and the mock calls. I did the most nerve-racking yesterday and have yet to take the written. There where 3 different scenarios I was put into. The first was cardiac arrest, so basically CPR and putting a tube in. the 2nd was trauma where a woman had a huge laceration in her leg, including having cut her artery, and the third was a chest pain. I had to go into these rooms where a national grading person sat and determined if we passed or failed. I was so nervous, but I prayed and felt confident. I went in there and kicked butt. I basically got into a zone and ignored the fact that this was such a big deal.

I’m finally going to Chicago this weekend to see Joy and Jenny. Oh, and picking Eric up at O’hare on Monday. I do look forward to hearing his stories about Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The lucky duck, I wanna go to Asia! And a week from Monday, I’m having ankle surgery. LAME!!! Not the kind of thing I want to be doing in the summer. But it’s been a year and a half since I injured it so it’s about time I guess.

Adjusting has been interesting and defiantly not easy. I have been able to stay in touch with a few friends through email and facebook, it’s just hard for them because most of them have to go to internet cafes to access the internet. I miss it a lot. I try to not to talk about it. I try not to think about it. I try not to look at pictures. That’s probably not good, but it hurts too much. In fact, I’m getting tears in my eyes thinking about it. I think that’s why I don’t want to do an update. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind if people ask me about it, it's when I have to dig and see faces and places to get an answer that sucks. I love those questions that are easy to answer without going into a memory. It's a selective memory I've got. I feel it’s easier to go about my daily life here and just focus on that and not let my mind drift to Africa. On those days when I do think about it, I don’t allow it to go very far. The second details come into my mind is the second I switch it off. I’m really good at ignoring things and not dealing with them. I don’t really know if any of this makes any sense but I don’t know how else to explain it. I can’t talk about this anymore. Sorry.

Have a good night/day.

Peace.