What it means to be sick in Senegal...

It means:
-you must explain to every Senegalese you encounter that you will not shake their hand so as to prevent the spreading germs; then when they look at you like you’re a crazy American who is over paranoid about ‘germs’, you walk away;

-to explain to your host family that its not a good idea that you eat from the same common plate, or share a spoon w/ a host brother because, yes this spreads germs too; (“germs” is not a common concern here—everyone is family, same ‘germs”)

-the first sign of headache or fever brings the automatic question: “Do I have malaria?” “How long should I wait to get tested?”

-when you try to explain your ailments to the pharmacist its better just to write because a head cold does not help the accent;

-when the pharmacist hands you 4 different boxes of medication you must decipher the medical instructions in French to really know what each one does…why would he try to sell me one medication that makes the nose stop running and an anti-decongestant? Oh right…I’m white …money….

- frequent power outages cuts off the ceiling fan for hours at a time—the only hope of air circulation as you lay under your mosquito net—so you strip off almost all of your clothes except the t-shirt that soaks up sweat. Then it miraculously comes back on full speed and you start to freeze. Great for the body temp!;

-when your head is whirling from a pounding headache, your body is dripping sweat with fever and you’re trying to stabilize yourself on the toilet and determine which end it will come out of first, the cockroaches on the bathroom floor make for a great momentary distraction;

-a great lesson learned: check the expiration date on your medication before packing them. My Tylenol expired in February…there is no Tylenol at the local pharmacy…I don’t know who to trust and I can barely pronounce “acetaminophen” in English, let alone French;

- it’s a great start to loosing the 3 kilos gained by eating rice and fried fish everyday!

-what doesn’t kill ya, only makes ya stronger!