Peace Corp Volunteer in Tonga
Sick again?

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So I went to the sports day in town. It was fun but long and a hot day. I had to wear the team shirt, which was a polo shirt, not the most breathable fabric so I stayed under the tent the whole day. Towards the end of the day I asked how much longer it would be. I was hot, tired, hungry and thirsty so I opted out of the additional hour of sports and then the closing ceremony and awards in favor of taking care of my needs. I walked to the Peace Corps office where I promptly entered the air conditioning and found my bag with a stash of food. I thought I would eat the apple and peanut butter but once I saw the fritos, I couldn’t resist. After eating and drinking some cold water my headache got worse. Sune came into the lounge and asked if I was alright, which always means you look sick do you need help. She suggested I call Jacinta which I thought was overkill. I just wanted to get home and sleep. Then I realized I had just sent an email without even signing it. Ok fine my parents will know who it is from weather I sign it or not, but I am obviously not feeling well. So I called Jacinta and she told me I couldn’t leave the office, I had to stay the night. So I canceled my ride and sat down outside (the cold was too much for me and I was getting shivers). By the time Jacinta got there I was nauseous and couldn’t get comfortable sitting, standing or laying down. She made the bed for me in the medical apartment and as I crawled in feeling horrible and vulnerable I had a horrible flashback of being helplessly incapacitated for weeks in the same bed just 3 short months before. It’s ok, calm down you don’t have Dengue. As I calmed down and found a semi comfortable place to lay down I talked about what I had done, eaten and drank that day to try to figure out why for the 3 rd time I am sick after a day in town. Yea it was hot but I was drinking water and I had food but probably not enough of either. In the end she told me I don’t eat enough salt! It seems that the lack of salt makes the water I did drink unabsorbable and that mixed with the heat and then sudden cold pushes me over the edge and I get sick. What, an American who doesn’t get enough salt? That explains the craving for fritos. I have definitely brainwashed myself not to add salt to anything unless cooking it. That worked very well back home, but now that I have made Tonga my home I don’t eat as much processed food and therefore there is not as much added salt. But really how is this really possible I say as I reach for my apple and peanut butter (with no added salt) ok fine I guess it is true. So after giving me fluid and electrolytes and a healthy dose to take later too Jacinta prescribed that each time I come to town I need to eat a salty snack first. What a diagnosis.

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