Med Evac

Medical Evac:

                So as many of you know I have been having medical problems for a lot of my service. Everything from the common cold to Dengue which has made my service a challenge at times. I love being in PY but at times when I am sick I have been frustrated and upset. A lot of bus rides to the capital for medical attention and hours away from site has been hard. I cant help others if I am not in my prime condition. For the last 6monthes I have been having an ear infection, throat infection and significant hearing loss in my right ear. After visiting several doctors in Asuncion and being on antibiotics the only solution given as been to be Med Evac to my home of record.

                So here I am… An hour and half away from landing in LA, nervous but ready to get better. I have traveled far in the last 24hours and my nerves are shot. My life has become a whirlwind in the last year and half. I can not believe that I live in Paraguay, South America but am now in the United States. I have a full life in Paraguay and feel more like that is my home then Santa Monica where I lived for 18 + years. I have set up a significant life in the Paraguay. I have made friends and feel like many of the people in my community are my family. I have a dog that I adore and a house that I find comfort in after a long day.

                So my plan is to go to the doctors’ appointments, to do what the doctor’s tell me and to recover so I can finish my Peace Corps service successfully. 

3 weeks in USA

So its been three weeks in the USA.... If i stop and think about it I freak out... so instead I enjoy the comfort of being at home and I do not think about it... I know I will soon be back in Paraguay and once again I will have trouble believing where time flies.

I was medically evacuated to my Home of Record. Santa Monica. Basically just watching tv and sleeping. If I do anything else I get tired. I was sent home for having cholesteatoma. It is a defect were skin grows in my middle ear and has been causing ear and throat infections. So it has been an ongoing battle for about 6 months now. Back and forth from the capital to site to get antibiotics.  Such a pain in my butt.

So tomorrow is surgery. They will remove this extra piece of skin and hopefully it will clear the problem. Ya im nervous but more nervous that this will not be the solution to my loss of hearing and infections. I hope that i can get back to Paraguay in the next couple weeks.

Ideally i would have surgery tomorrow. Recover in a week completely. then i would have just enough time to head down to SD and have a couple farewell dinners. Get what i want from the Good America and pack my bags to head back to PY.

I must get back to PY! I determined... I will go back... I will serve my Country and help my extended family and new friends in Paraguay.

Vamos a ver and I hope all goes well tomorrow.

until next time..