Broken Down Week

So I’ve been MIA for a while. It’s not like I had a choice though.
I was knocked on my back last week. I came back from the field on Monday and just didn’t feel well. I went to lie down—expecting that I would only take a 30 minute nap. That turned into 2 hours. I got up and felt extremely dizzy and nauseated. I HATE that feeling. I tried to boil water to take a bucket bath but ended up lying on kitchen floor trying not fall on my face. I hate the clamminess and losing the feeling in my hands. Smells made me nauseous—I could hardly eat. I went to bed and couldn’t sleep the entire night. I would get comfortable and the dizzy spells would come, I would reposition and then they would come on again. It sucked so bad! I had diarrhea but not terrible. 8am came and Abe came to check on me and I told him that I couldn’t get out of bed. I slept until 4pm that day. I was totally wasted from the nausea. Dennis, the nurse from the new clinic that will open came to check. He wanted to take me into town to get some tests. I wanted to punch his lights out for even suggesting that we get in a vehicle on these bumpy roads. Abe saved me and said that it wasn’t a good idea unless I wanted to go. I didn’t. I think it was just a stomach thing because I felt better after I woke up and slowly started gaining my appetite back. It was not fun! I’d rather have fever or army ants invade. I did get the question, “Are you pregnant?” I wanted to sock Paco for asking. No! I’m definitely not! Trust me, I know.
Also, our vehicle has been in the shop for a week. If you are viewing this entry, you know that I have the vehicle now. It was looked at in Kampala before coming but they either screwed something else up or didn’t fix the problem. The other issue was that something on the suspension needs to be fixed—not surprising since the roads are hell here. So none of the parts are in Fort Portal. Go figure. Patrick was heading into the capital to take some of the researchers who were heading home. He was able to pick up the timing chain but not the bushings (sp??) for the suspension because of one issue or another. I’m in freak out mode because we’ve been without a vehicle for a week and I have less than 3 weeks to get everything done. I lost 2 weeks because of Joel and Abe and being sick. I don’t have time for this! They are supposed to get the vehicle back to me with the timing chain and do the bushings after I leave. I drive slow anyway but we don’t really have a choice.
I’ve been trying to schedule everyone. Many are cooperating with me while others are being a bit more difficult. It’ll get done—I don’t have a choice.
Another issue: the damn printer has declared mutiny and refuses to print. For some reason, this printer has an “ink service module” that when it gets full, it needs to be replaced. Of course I’m not going to find that piece here! So either I can’t print anything any more or we are going to try to get someone to bring it over who is coming next week. We’ll see how that goes. I’d hate to have to go home and print stuff out there and mail them back but we’ll do what we have to do.
The only really fun thing that happened last week was that I made a program for some of the field researchers to meet with one of the women’s basket groups that I interviewed. The ladies were so adorable! They placed all their baskets out and we bought! I swear they are an addiction! Abe can’t help himself. He had to get rid of so much stuff before he left so that he could fit everything in his suitcases. The event was so much fun that other researchers are asking for another program so that they can buy. I think I probably have the most popular research project here. Everyone wants to tag along for the interviews. It’s kind of weird for me to think anyone would be interested in what I’m doing but they are. And I’m enjoying it. Just want my car back.
So if my schedule works out, I will be able to get everything done—by the skin of my teeth! We are also trying to schedule some other things. We hope to head to Semiliki on Sunday. We haven’t completely confirmed but are going to try to spend two days there—Sunday through Monday. If there are several of us, we can go for cheaper. Will let you know. The other thing we are going to do is go chimp trekking. I didn’t get to do it last year and I think as someone looking at tourism, I should participate in some of the activities that tourists do. We plan to do this on the 6th. Should be fun.
Yesterday, Erimos and I were on foot and interviewing individual basket makers. We were exhausted. We aren’t used to walking too far to get where we need to go. I think we did about 4km all the way around and it was a bit hot. But it was a good form of exercise and I need to get back into the groove since I’ve been out of it because of being ill.
Ok, I guess that sums up the week. Hope everyone is doing well. Hope to have more interesting things for you soon! =)