On the Mend

So yet again on Tuesday night, I had trouble sleeping. One of Michael's neighbors had been making bricks all day, and then some of the workers listened to the radio all night as they burned the bricks. I woke up early on Wednesday, feeling sick again. So, I skipped out on the chai and fried pastries, and made myself some oatmeal. I still felt waves of nausea throughout the day. What I would have done for a popsicle!

Then it dawned on me. I must be suffering from mild altitude sickness. It makes sense since we had just been in the lowlands of Ombolion last week. The sudden change in altitude, and then back again (even though Kapenguria only sits at an altitude of a little over 2,000 meters) must have been enough to set it off. When Longiman was here, he kept asking me for Tylenol, so I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't suffering from some symptoms of altitude sickness as well.

I remembered my cousin, David, once suffered the same when working at a camp in Colorado one summer. He increased his sodium intake and felt much better. So, last night, I sprinkled some salt on my dinner (which I haven't been doing at all), took some Tylenol PM and then slept for 12 hours. When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel sick.

I made some more oatmeal this morning (this time with some salt) to go alongside some chai. I've been feeling much better today.

Along with feeling better, and taking an hour-long nap later on in the day, I had a fully charged computer, and finally got some typing done.

It's almost dinner time, and I am craving a cheesy deep-dish pizza...my body must still be needing more sodium... Unfortunately, the closest pizza place, I'm sure, is Nairobi...and even then, it probably doesn't taste the same.

Tomorrow is the halfway mark for my trip. In just under 4 weeks, I will be home. Not that I'm counting down yet, but I have daily reminders that are also reaching the halfway point...my malaria medicine, my shampoo and other toiletries, even my notebooks. It's hard not to notice my crossing from coming to going.

Well, when I do get home, Luke, I would ask that you have a Hot-n-Ready waiting at the airport, but I'm afraid it would be cold by the time I could enjoy it. So, why don't you map out the closest pizza place to the airport for a quick stop on the way home.