dysentery.

It was about time I got sick. I have had nearly perfect intestinal (and otherwise) health throughout the entire 17 months I've lived in Madagascar. Which, for a Peace Corps Volunteer, is pretty much a miracle. Just a few weeks ago as some other PCVs were complaining about their host of medical disorders, from Giardia to Typhoid, I was boasting about my perfect health. Guess I forgot to knock on wood: Dysentery.

According to Wikipedia, Dysentery is defined as an inflammatory disorder, especially affecting the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the feces with fever and abdominal pain. Dysentery results from viral, bacterial, protozoan or parasitic infestations, which typically reach the large intestine through ingestion of contaminated food or water, etc.

According to me, Dysentery is simply two long weeks of the above symptoms, with a whole lot of waiting to see what's going to happen, spending way too much time on the internet and wanting to go back to the peace and quiet of my village life. Right now I'm on two types of antibiotics and hoping to be on the mend soon.

I thank the universe for putting my bombastic ego back in place.