Home Sweet Home

As I already posted on Facebook, I am currently home in Memphis for the time being. I have technically been medically separated from the Peace Corps with the intention to reinstate. The reason it's a medical separation, not the less permanent sounding medical evacuation, is because medical evacuations have time limits of 45 days. And, well, I already spent three weeks at the infirmary in Kigali.

Because it is technically a separation, there was the issue of my grant. Since we hadn't had the chance to really get started and it appeared (on paper) that I wasn't coming back, there was the possibility of Peace Corps taking the money I had raised. However, after clarifying the situation, the funds are now just on hold. I hope to be back before national exams in November, and the plan is to get the project underway when the new school year starts.

Throughout everything, the Peace Corps Rwanda Medical staff, and the drivers, guards, and cleaning staff who work at the compound, have been amazing. They helped me get food, they did my laundry for me, and made sure I was taken care of. I was going a bit stir crazy, but they made the whole experience much better.

The people in my village have also been awesome. My headmaster, co-teachers, site mate, and the nuns I live with have constantly checked up on me, helped me keep my house clean, and helped me manage classes and the grant from Kigali. I cannot express my gratitude enough.

All that aside though, I am very excited to be home and to heal. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and various appointments with Chick-fil-a, Cheesecake Factory, and other lovely restaurants during my stay here. I don't have specifics as to how long I will be here, but I am happy to spend some time with my family and friends while I can.

The second stop after Wal-Mart.

Med Hold

So, I've had an interesting week and a half. Let's go day by day:

Tuesday, August 28th- I'm sitting in English Club (about 4:00 PM) when I decide to make a late afternoon/early evening trip to Kibuye. I've never really gone that late before, but I needed to go to the bank and make some copies for Wednesday morning's teacher training. So I go in, stop by the bank, make my copies, and head to my usual hotel for dinner.

I get up to leave the hotel at about 6:30, 7:00 PM, and I have the the hotel call me a car to take me home since it was storming. I didn't have the cash to pay the driver on me, so when we get to my house (in the rain) I tell him to wait while I go get it. The nuns have been doing some reorganizing/refurbishing so the door I usually use is locked and I don't have my keys (stupid, I know, but I never need them since someone is always there). The driver is getting impatient while I, Sister Emmanuel, and Sophie (one of the girls who works at the compound) scramble around trying to get into my house. I finally get the money and start rushing down the stairs to pay the guy and slip down the last two. And boy, it hurt. I pay the guy, everyone helps me up (they're very concerned), and I hobble inside. Tunda is meowing so I feed him first (priorities), then go to take off my Chacos. It's then I notice the tennis ball that is growing out of my right ankle (see the picture below). I call my mom, text my site mate (Gabby), and email/call the Peace Corps Medical Officer on duty (Dr. Dawn).

At first, without seeing the picture, Dr. Dawn says it's a sprain and do the usual elevation/compression/rest (no ice since it's not like I have a freezer). Then she sees the picture and calls me back saying it's probably something more than a minor sprain so Peace Corps will send a driver for me in the morning. I spend the rest of my night hobbling around trying to pack and make my room semi-clean.

Wednesday August 29th- After visits from Gabby, Sister Emmanuel, and my headmaster, the Peace Corps driver gets to my house at around 9 AM and we head to Kigali. At the med office, I am given a brace and crutches, and I am sent for x-rays. Turns out I have a tiny fracture and Dr. Dawn set up an appointment with an orthopedist at King Faisal Hospital the next morning.

Thursday, August 30th- My appointment was supposed to be at 8 AM, but the doctor doesn't get there until 10 AM and I'm the eighth person in line. So I finally see him around 10:45 AM and he says I need a soft cast for two weeks, and then a hard cast for six. I'm not supposed to put any weight on my right foot during the first two weeks. So I'm sent for my soft cast, which takes another hour and a half. Especially since the lady doing casts makes me walk 5 feet to the cashier, get a receipt printed saying I don't have to pay since I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer, then walk 5 feet back before she'll even think about putting on the cast. Finally, after a good 6 hours at the hospital, I get to go back to Peace Corps.

Friday, August 31st- I venture out to Kigali Heights for lunch and it is exhausting. I come back and learn that Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington wants me to get an MRI. That's set up for 8 AM the next day.

Saturday, September 1st- The MRI takes about an hour and a half, mainly because MRI's are long but the doctor was actually on time. I go to Kigali City Tower for lunch to meet another volunteer and, again, I am exhausted. Crutches are hard. I meet with Dr. Dawn later and she says I have a partially torn ligament.

Sunday, September 2nd-Present- We are just waiting to hear back from Washington about what they want to do. Do I get the hard cast? Do I get a boot? When can I go back to site? I have not left the medical offices. I order food in, and they were kind enough to do laundry for me. Gabby is taking care of Tunda, and my co-teachers are teaching, but basically, I'm going stir crazy.

Now it's just a game of wait and see what will happen, so I will keep you posted.