Injury Alert

5 (or more) days ago I noticed that my right big toe was a little sore on the inner side but I didn’t’ think much of it. I went about my fun at the beach with friends and figured I would investigate later. That evening I discovered that I should trim a hang nail and the toenail itself and thought that was it. Nope. My toe continued to swell and turn various shades of pink, red, dark blue, and purple as the pain increased and I grew very sensitive to walking (my major mode of transportation here). I would like to say that for the last 5 days I have cleaned my toe with alcohol and used Neosporin. I even tried soaking in hot/warm water too. I’ve done a really good job keeping it clean considering the dust and sand everywhere here, but it has not stopped weeping or swelling. I was almost in tears the past 2 nights and I would like to state for the record this has put a damper on the fun I was planning for this vacation.
Julie began telling me 2 nights ago that we should call the doctor, but I was reluctant. I work closely with the doctor’s wife and I know him too, but I wasn’t ready to call a doctor over my toe just yet. I promised her that in another day if it wasn’t improving I would call him. Yesterday, my toe was not good and I walked entirely too much on it. It seemed to pound with each step and I dreaded having to walk home that evening. I was talking with my Togolese friend and shared with him about my toe for the second time this week. He told me that I should may be see a doctor and get an anti-biotic or they would need to cut open my toe. I tried to tell him that I didn’t like anti-biotics because they wipe out your immune system and since all my kids are sick and many adults are sick too I would be worried I catch some horrible strand of African stomach something or virus that knocks me out completely. This was al lost in communication and so he just encouraged me again to call the doctor. I told him one more night and then if it isn’t better tomorrow I will. His second offer was traditional medicine. I wasn’t so sure about that but he said that he would bring the product to my house that evening. Of course he shows up when I’m almost in tears and the power was out and my fan had broken. It wasn’t a great moment to say the least. My roommate and I were trying to figure out if I was just overheating or if I had a fever because of this infection in my toe. So he joined in with great concern. He inspected my toe by flashlight and then began applying the “traditional product” to my toe. It seemed to glow like something out of Little Shoppe of Horrors and it smelled like the strongest mentholadom that has ever been made. Vick has nothing on this stuff my friends. When he was finished he looked at me very seriously and told me that I needed to put if on every night and every morning. He told me he was very sorry for me and that he would check on me the next day. After he left I promised Julie I would call the doctor in the morning.

Dr. Erik came to the house at 12:30pm and gave me 2 prescriptions; an anti-biotic and an anti-inflammatory. He told me it would look a lot better by Sunday and that he would call me the next day to check on me. About an hour later my friend stopped by and wanted to know what the doctor said and how I was. He also inspected my toe today. I was relieved that he didn’t say anything else about the “traditional product”.

When Julie and I went to the pharmacy a man with the money symbol around his neck waited on us. Then I paid the cashier and read the ingredients to make sure I wasn’t allergic to any either of the medications. I was good to go and so we left. It’s amazing to me the amount of English that was used on the signs and instructions in the pharmacy, but I was thankful! I even saw a huge H1N1 poster and how to prevent the flu. I haven’t even heard about the flu since I left America at the end of August. I can only imagine what it is like there now.

I would like to end by saying that when you have something wrong it is easier to hide it and people don’t treat you like you’re handicapped before you see a doctor. It is after you have seen the doctor that people react in large ways. I will tell you that Julie hasn’t let me cook or even get out of the living room chair all day. My friend wouldn’t let me walk him to the door. Everyone just wants me to sit around and be waited on while I keep my foot propped up. This is great but there is only so much sitting that a girl can do (and I haven’t exactly been sitting around all week). I love that I have a great support system here and I should listen to them more. I foresee a speedy recovery with all the resting and medication over the next few days.

P.S. When you take anti-biotic they may cause you to be more susceptible to illness, especially when working with children who have snot pouring from their noses all day. I seem to have contracted something, but I hope that the vitamin C I lugged from America will help. But the good news is my toe is great and I am walking just fine again.