I'm in Dakar now where everyone speaks a different African tribal language and a little bit of French. This is terribly unfortunate for me seeing as I speak none of these languages. Just as I was getting a hold of Creole, I am sent to a land where no Creole is spoken!
Well, I saw three doctors yesterday. The Peace Corps doctor (who was of no help), a podiatrist, who while cute and French, was not all that interested in talking to me or helping me, and an orthopedic surgeon who did try to speak to me a bit but ended up telling me not to worry about my foot because "it's really not that bad." Now, this last doctor's comment made me cry because he told me this just after telling me that I would need to wear an insert in my shoe for 3 to 6 months and that I wouldn't be able to run for at least 6 months. But, really, it's not that bad. RIGHT! It sucks! The doctors all spoke to each other in French and the PC doctor didn't ever tell me what the specialists were saying to him, even after I asked. What a pretentious ass.
Now I'm waiting to get my shoe insert to turn my running shoes into my special shoes. I will have to wear my tennis shoes all day everyday. This means while I'm teaching, relaxing, everything. I'm sure it will be really, really cute seeing me in a dress, blouse, and asics! Lovely!
Well, aside from my terrible foot pain and impending fashion crisis, things are boring. I can't get out and do much because of the foot thing. I don't speak the language, which is a problem. Apparently it's Veteran's day, so the PC office in Dakar is closed, meaning the people who actually speak my language in this country are not around!
This has all turned out to be a pointless trip. I was sent here to have an MRI and CT scan, but have had and will have NEITHER. The PC is cheap and the doctor doesn't actually care about the long-term effects of all of this, so I'll just be hobbling around for a while longer. I sure hope the shoe insert works. If not, I'm headed to the states. I refuse to live in a place where I am miserable. I have to walk everywhere and with a broken foot, that's not very easy. Sorry to be such a downer, but this is all hitting me very hard. I feel like no one really cares if I get better in the near future or at all for that matter. I just hope something good comes from all of this bad! I'm trying to stay positive... and you know what might help??? Packages from the states filled with fun things to do while sitting on the couch and good things to eat while sitting on the couch! Okay, so send on those packages.
2 comments:
And by good things do you mean healthly Betty Sue good things or Pre-meeting-Casey-Maugh Jill things?
Hey Casey,
Sorry to hear about your foot. I can totally sympathize with you, and I'm in the same boat (sort of), but reading your posts have made me feel better. Sorry about that! :)
I dislocated and/or crushed/shattered all the bones in my right foot when I fell off a moped on Nov. 9. I had surgery that night, have 5 screws and 2 pins holding my joints/toes together... I'm wheelchair bound/no pressure on my foot for at least 3 months, then another surgery, then PT (where I'll be on crutches and a cane for a while). So, this ordeal will be taking me into April or so it seems.
You're right... being immobile sucks. I'm living my parents during this ordeal as I'm pretty helpless. :( They had to move a class of mine into another building because the original building isn't handicapped accessbile... go figure. And it's the most "government" building on campus: Military science. Hmm.
I move from a little bed they set up for me in their front room to a recliner chair in the living room to the bathroom and that's about it. It's hard to get out because the wheelchair is heavy and a lot of places don't have ramps. :(
Needless to say, I'm feeling your pain and frustration! Try to keep your spirits up. Keep your mind busy! I hope you have things to do now... care packages coming in and such. Keeping my mind busy is the only way I'm surviving thus far... if I don't I break down and cry.
Anyway... just wanted to say hang in there! What you're doing is great! It's just stinky to be sick or injured when you're not at home. Keep your chin up!
Alli Searle
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