The Saga Continues

After four months in exile, I am finally back at school! I can't express how wonderful it is to be back in this beautiful place, with the lovely buildings and the gorgeous mountains and so much culture all around and opportunities galore and so many amazing, amazing people. Oh, my word, the people. I think my plans of becoming a hermit are pretty much shot. Going through another summer in Laundria really drove it home how much I need friends and conversation and human contact -- something I'll have to keep in mind while I prepare for my year as a student missionary.

... which, curiously enough, is looking dubious. My health problems are still not resolved. I've been on medication for two years now and I'm getting very tired of juggling food choices, comfortable sleeping positions, and my med sched. Not fun, and I know it's going to be even harder out in the mission field, which adds to my stress. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), I've just been referred to doctor #4, who happens to practise at a major hospital about four hours away. It's a little intimidating being referred to this hospital because most of the people I know who have gone there were there because they were "extreme cases". Is that what I am now? An extreme case? That would make sense, I suppose, given my gastrin level (13-100 is normal; mine was 840), but I don't want to be an extreme case! I just want to be able to sleep lying down and not worry about eating onions or garlic and ride in a car without feeling nauseated and travel wherever I want without worrying about whether or not I'll be able to handle it. If God calls me to Chad or Malaysia or Lebanon, I want to be able to go without a qualm, dang it!

So I'll be going in on November 12 for some tests, missing World Music and Music Theory in the process, but hopefully they'll be able to locate a growth and come up with a plan for getting it out within, say, a month, and then I will go merrily on my way to lands unknown, eating spicy food all the way and sleeping on my RIGHT side if I jolly well want to.

That's the plan, anyhow. I'll keep you updated. Your prayers would be much appreciated.

L'chaim, and peace, love, and granola,

~Cello Girl