Chikengunya Update

"My own experience and development deepen every day my conviction that our moral progress may be measured by the degree in which we sympathize with individual suffering and individual joy." 

-George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

In the last chikengunya post, I said I had the light version… While it is still true that when I had the first stage of the sickness I was very lucky and did not get super sick, this second part as me in its clutches.

The thing is, it’s not the kind of sickness where you get sick and get better.

No. It continues. And continues.

Some say the symptoms last for three months. Others have told me a year. Three years.

I chose to believe three months because I am an optimist.

But boy am I ready for these three months to be over.

It’s my feet and hands that are doing me in. It is bizarre. Walking literally hurts when I wake up. Every morning, I lay in bed for two minutes, giving myself a little pep talk…

“You can do it Lani, the first few steps are hard, but there is a whole fabulous day ahead of you! Let’s go! You can do it!”

And then I laugh at myself when I start walking because it is simply ridiculous how much it hurts and how goofy I look.  After getting my joints warmed up, it’s not that bad. It’s sore, as if I had spent too much time on my feet and need to rest, except I haven’t spent too much time on my feet.

Going down stairs is undesirable.

Walking again after sitting a while is tough.

Getting off the moto… not fun.

Sweeping is hard because of the wrist motion.

Opening jars and unlocking my door is a difficult task because of the finger joint pain.

I tried to give a high five to a kiddo and afterwards decided not to try it again.

It’s just ridiculous. And I’m ready for it to be over.

But, as I said in the last post, everyone has it. Not everyone is affected in the same way, but we all have pain that comes and go.

My friend who always drives me on the moto had three days of pain in his right index finger.

My Libertad mom has continuous pain in her right foot.

I don’t know why I have it in both feet and both hands! I feel like the weakest person! My neighbor calls me “Chikenguya” because every morning when I go over to drink coffee I am walking like an elderly person. Even when I try to walk normally, my joints just aren’t working correctly!

But we all suffer together and laugh about it. People are still surprised when they find out that I have chikengunya too. I’m not sure why they think I would be exempt… But, it is a good bonding experience. We are all living through it together.

However, I still recommend avoiding it if possible!