Emily's Tidbits: Kampala 2 weeks ago. . . stool samples, dessert and my first small flight

Internet has been tragically slow so I apologize for my delay in updates! And there are many!! Following our first 5-weeks of research I took the team car back to Kampala where it received new shocks, new tires, and many other pieces lol to make it function again! Round two of field work begins May 28th, and we will be ready to roll --muddy roads and all ;) I had to have my blood follow up from my typhoid treatment. There is a doctor in Kampala who is famous among both locals and the muzungu (white person) crowd. He lived in Karamoja for many years so he is well-versed in the distinct tropical diseases one may acquire while working in that region. Immediately when I met him and told him I had been diagnosed with typhoid 4 weeks prior and treated, he guffawed and said I never had it. Turns out, because I had the vaccination, and the test for typhoid is an antibody test, that when given the test it automatically shows up as positive for typhoid antibodies (because I have a small amount from the vaccine.) Well I felt like an idiot. However, the news wasn't all that great as he found I had a high CET (?) count which was abnormal and an indication that my body was fighting an infection. So, he demanded a stool sample. People, I don't do stool samples. But I will leave the details out and just let you know that I managed. After the 8 minutes of lab analysis, he found I had 0-2 amoebas (parasites) in my stool. These beasts could have been there forever. They make one anemic and seriously mess with one's digestive tract. So, I was given 4 days of oral meds and 2 days of a solution I mixed in water (pretty sure it was just packets of yeast!) There was absolutely not a drop of alcohol allowed as the meds were tough on my liver. After 10 days of cipro, daily doses of malarone (malaria med), and then the amoeba meds- my poor liver is going to be a mess down the road. . . I should look for donors now. Anyways, I took my amoeba filled self to Jinja for the weekend and then returned to Kampala to have some work meetings with Human Rights Watch and this "old" guy Victor, my old boss (summer 2010) in Lira. We "shared" a huge brownie sundae (I had heard amoebas like them!) and only after I ordered did he share with me he doesn't care for cold things. Shame, I had to eat it all. Later he went on to a meeting I had helped facilitate with USAID and US Embassy folk. They were impressed with him, as I knew they would be, and commented, "Victor, you have been here for 40 minutes and not asked us for money once! Why is that? It is so refreshing." They have meetings set up in the future. . . good things for sure! Had to race back Wednesday on the flight as I had to make play practice that night- it was the first full run through of the play, Importance of Being Earnest, and I was pissing my pants. Even the amoebas had stage fright!! But, best way to face a challenge is head on. So with that, I boarded the world's smallest plane and made my way back to rainy Moroto.