Homeward Bound

This is my last blog post! I cannot believe my time in Madagascar is coming to a close!  I took my last taxi brousse ride, and I have to say nothing makes you feel more Malagasy than when you are crammed into a brousse so tightly that don’t quite make the seat.  You end up doing a chair exercise for a couple hours, and you are guaranteed a mixed aroma of fish, body odor and oranges.  I know I will miss these moments!

It has been a great past couple weeks with mom visiting!   We went on a tour of the north and did so much in the time we were given.  I am so thankful that she was able to visit.  It has been so great being able to share this wonderful experience together.  We were able to see the Tsingy Rouge, Ankarana National Reserve, Amber Mountains and Ramena.  We saw every from chameleons to lemurs. Our trip ended in Nosy Be, an island off of Madagascar.  The tsingy are these amazing rock formations that are unique to Madagascar, and are quite a natural wonder.  My mom and I spent most of our time hiking and relaxing.  It was also great to visit some of the beaches in the north.  It was great to put my work aside for 2 weeks and simply enjoy the beauty of Madagascar and live the “mora mora” (means slowly slowly) Malagasy way of life.  The place we stayed at in Nosy Be was absolutely gorgeous and the food was wonderful.  We were also able to scuba dive and saw sea turtles, stingrays and some huge colorful fish! 

During our time in Nosy Be, we ended up staying there longer than expected because we couldn’t a flight out right away.  It ended being a blessing in disguise because I got really sick again.   It was similar to last time where I suddenly get fever and then loss of appetite.  I then got a horrible headache that is definitely not like a typical migraine.  I would say it was the worst headache I have ever had. I ended up getting so dehydrated from the vomiting the doctor put I.V. fluids in me in my hotel room, which freaked my poor mom out.  All I can say is that medicine is a little different in Madagascar.  I was in and out of sleep during that time and did not know all that was going on.  The doctor treated me for malaria, and I got so much better when I was able to keep down the medicine!  I wasn’t treated for malaria the first time I got sick because the doctor told me that my malaria prophylaxis was preventing me from getting it.  I tried to say that you can still get it despite taking the prophylaxis, but he still do anything about it.  I was thankful the doctor in Nosy Be knew this and treated me, because I felt so much better after completing the treatment. 

Because I got so sick the insurance is paying for me to come home ten days earlier with my mom so that I can get checked out in the U.S.  As I have learned during my time in Madagascar, there is hardly a medical system and you are better off having a doctor come to your room than going to the hospital.  I am sad to leave early but feel like it is the best thing to do.  I feel a peace about everything, and am thankful for God’s presence in all of this.  I am so thankful that my mom was there with me during that time as well.  If I was going to get sick, I got sick at the perfect time.  I don’t know what would have happened if I was by myself!  All I could think about when I was sick was if this is what malaria is then how do the villagers get through it?  How can the villagers travel 15 or more kilometers to visit the clinic when they are sick like this?  I could barely move!  Or how can they take the malaria medicine when I cannot even keep it down?  It definitely put a whole new perspective to my clinical experience in Maventibao. 

My mom and I leave today for home.  I am looking forward to going home but am sad to leave this beautiful country.  I am so thankful to visit and to have lived here for 4 months, and I hope to one-day return to Madagascar.  I would love to visit Maventibao again.  It will always have a special place in my heart.  I miss the people there so much already!

Thank you everyone that has been praying.  I am so, so thankful! It means so much to me.  And thank you for reading my blog!