Battambang 4

So, it's been two weeks since I updated, but I figured that I updated enough for about three weeks last time. I think I was on the internet for at least 8 hours that day, which is pretty ridiculous, but I wanted to let you guys know what was going on. Sorry if it was so long that you had no time to read it. I just enjoy writing about my time here and I tend to keep going once I've started.

So...first on the list of events in the past two weeks was me getting sick. I've had a problem since I've been here with the dust and pollution. My chest seems to get clogged up with mucus and flegm that I have to cough out fairly often. A couple Sundays ago, I went to sleep and I was not feeling too well. I had a slight fever and headache, but I didn't think too much of it. I woke up around midnight with a sharp pain in my left side every time I attempted to breathe in. I was quite distraught that it hurt to breathe and I started to panic. This caused me to tighten the muscles in my body, which made the pain worse. I guessed that my chest congestion had become so bad that it was blocking my airways, and I tried coughing up as much mucus as I could, but it hurt to cough as well. I also tried drinking water, but that didn't seem to help either. I was praying the whole time, but I knew I needed prayer and support from my teammates, so I woke up Seth and Dan, and Seth woke up Rob and Barbara. It was difficult to explain my plight to them, because every breath was a struggle, but they prayed over me, took my temperature, cooled me down with a damp cloth, gave me Advil, and told me to relax and calm down. Finally, I was able to get back to sleep. The advice to relax really helped.

The next morning, I was still in pain, but it was not quite as intense. Our translator Galyan took me to a trusted doctor. His office was at the back of a pharmacy type store, but it seemed like a very clean and legit doctor's office. After asking me some questions and doing some examination, the doctor diagnosed me with "Acute Tonsilitis and Bronchitis." This sounds pretty serious, I know. He said that my tonsils were inflamed and swollen, probably from coughing so much. He gave me some antibiotics along with some other medications to help my symptoms and I paid only $11.00 for the drugs and the consultation.

I had to rest up for 3 days until I could go back into ministry activities, but the antibiotics worked great and I am fine now.

I am about to go get some dinner, but I will try to come back and tell you more of my story.

Love you guys

Dan