Originally my back was the only problem. After the doctor told me I was anemic, I started taking iron supplements and eating more beans. It really helped, the pain lessened and I didn't feel my back as much, although it was not completely gone. The pain would sneak up every once in a while, but it was very bearable for the short time I felt it. I really think my body used my back to tell me something was wrong, not very medical or scientific, I know, but that's my theory.
Then...I got a yeast infection, which is somewhat normal for me. If you ever come to Turkey, maya is yeast. I've needed the word twice now, I made challah for my friends, so I needed yeast and then when I was trying to explain to the pharmacist what was wrong. Who know the word was used so often.
Then...Tuesday night I didn't sleep more than an hour because I was in the bathroom all night. I had to get up early Wednesday to get my residence permit. My head was pounding and I felt like there was a vice on it. I live down a huge hill from school, and I really thought I was going to faint when I was inching my way up. But I was determined to get this permit taken care of. (It's already been an ordeal.) After the bus ride there, in the first building I was sweating. That's not too abnormal, it's warm still and the buildings don't have AC. But I was sweating a LOT. But 20 minutes later I had goosebumps and was shivering. I was tired, but I blamed that on my lack of sleep. After we waited in line after line from 8 until noon, we finally were successful. The Turkish bureaucracy is incredible. It does create jobs though and Turkey has very high unemployment. Playing the pushy America definitely paid off. (Katie hates when I'm pushing, but it saved me a good 3 to 4 hours today. It wasn't just cutting in line at the Retreat for the Willy Wonka meal.) There was also a point where I refused to refill out my form, so the employee proceed to superglue my paper to the paper she wanted, it was pretty spectacular to see the government use superglue. Personally, I might have used a staple, but this is Turkey. So by the time I got home, I was sweating again and my heart was beating ridiculously hard and fast. So I tried to take a nap, but people kept calling and knocking on the door. I knew I couldn't go to the Black Sea, I was so dizzy and couldn't stay out of the bathroom. It really was painful. I finally did have a two hour rest from 8-10 and I woke up in a pool of sweat although I was freezing when I fell asleep. My friend came over for a little while which was nice, but I was pretty useless. Then another friend brought me juice, which was so sweet. So by 2am I was asleep again.
The next day (yesterday) wasn't as bad. My stomach was still very upset, but I wasn't dizzy and I didn't have a fever. But I was still in the bathroom every ten minutes. Although I don't know how it was possible because there was nothing in my system. I hadn't eaten anything for 18 hours. But I had to get out of my apartment. So I walked to go the pharmacy to get diarrhea medicine. Then went to my friend's place and we ended up at Starbucks (I had green tea, which is suppose to be good for your stomach, but I don't think it did anything.) and then the mall (the second largest one in Europe). Go figure. But this mall had a lot of bathrooms, so it was okay. Then I ate a piece of Sbarro pizza...probably the best I ever had...but anything after about 24 hours of no food so pretty darn delicious.
Now this morning, I'm fairly back to normal. Most of the stomach pains are gone. Nothing is solid yet, but if I'm not in pain, I don't mind. I'm pretty sure it was food poisening, or the 36 hour flu.
Right now in Turkey it is Bayram, or holiday. It's actually "Sugar Holiday" because it is the end of Ramadan. So people go around and visit their families and when they go the families give them lots of candy and desserts. Pretty great holiday if you ask me. So I bought chocolate for my best friends family because he went home and I got some for the little boy that lives above me who brings me my mail. And I ate a piece because I gave it all away. =)
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