Thank God for Tindemax

A very sick Keri sleeping on the floor of Sheremetevo
airport Moscow.

I'm not sure if I posted on my blog about this yet, so forgive me if this is repetitive. Nastia,Bridget, Kim and I did not come home from Siberia alone. We brought critters with us. Little teeny tiny ones you can't see but wreak havoc on your system. Yes, Giardia.


I've had it before. Nastia had it most of her life before she came home to me. It's pretty much part and parcel of living in that part of the world. I won't disgust you with all the lovely details of what Giardia is and what it does, but suffice it to say it is NOT FUN and for some sufferers (like me) it means feeling like absolute crap and not leaving your house for many, many days. The good news is, there is a medication that has an almost 100% success rate in wiping out Giardia. It's not widely used in the US, but it was the only thing that worked for me back in 2005, and I begged my doctor to prescribe it again, so I wouldn't have to wait so long to feel better.


Great news. I got the prescription a few days ago and today is the very first day I've felt better since June 2nd! Thankfully I learned some other important health info in the process. I've been sleeping 18-20 hours every day since I got back and was very worried about what that level of exhaustion meant. Turns out it is simply anemia and a recurrence of EBV (Epstein-Barr). I didn't know you could get mono twice, but evidently you can....kind of. The EBV virus stays in your system for life, and some adults experience a recurrence in times of stress. Stress? What stress..lol?


Anyway, I'm just so relieved to know what's going on, and to know the best medicine for me is to learn how to de-stress, rest and take it easy. Lots of fluids, iron, B supplements...and I should feel better within a few weeks. God answers prayers in very surprising ways sometimes. I had been dealing with incredible stress from all corners of my life recently. It felt like I was being attacked from every angle. I could NOT catch a break. Stress begets stress, and so by the time I dragged myself into the doctor's office, I felt like I was on my deathbed! He explained that I really needed to find a way to not be stressed, because my body was not taking it well. He encouraged me to delegate jobs, rest ALOT and sleep whenever I felt the need to. Otherwise, he said, I could be battling this EBV thing for months.


So, I'm working very hard to take his advice. I'm delegating. I'm cutting away unneeded stress. I'm surrounding myself with helpful, loving friends. I'm working at a pace my body can handle, and I'm asking for help. It's working. Today is the first day in ages that I have felt remotely human. And I need to. I need to get better so I can get back on that path that will lead me back to Russia again.


So, thank you, God, for Tindemax and kindly doctors and friends (hello Caroline!) who go above and beyond to help me with my work. I'm grateful and looking forward to feeling better every day!