WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME

For the past few weeks, I have been unwell, braving through the days and trying to manage all symptoms without medication. In “FOR MY FIGHTERS,” I talk about my struggle with medication as I don’t like taking it.

I continue this non-medicinal approach for a couple of days until I can no longer bear it. Succumbing to the pain, I take a break to seek medication. I think to myself, “this is just going to hurt today, and tomorrow I’ll be up and running,” only to wake up as a disappointed soul that has tossed and turned all through the night, craving comfort and a painless sleep. Moreover, the prescribed medication brings about discomfort before allowing my gastrointestinal system a few hours of relief.

Sadly, my gastrointestinal system is not the only source of discomfort; my whole body is. So when my mind is not focused on the pain caused by the acid burning what I assume to be my stomach or the heartburn, it is concentrated on the itch my body feels. Tiny rashes have spread across my skin, starting from my stomach and continuing to my back. By the time I started using the prescribed medicinal cream, they had spread to my back. Now, they have extended to my neck, thighs, legs, and arms. I have even noticed a few on my face and occasionally feel some on my head, although I suspect those on my head are but in my head. Sometimes, when swallowing something, especially if it’s not hot, I feel an itch in my throat too.

Today, I noticed that my skin was lighter. Under other circumstances, I would have said ni pesa but not in Zakayo’s economy. I believe there is something more significant ailing me, hidden deep inside. It is highly likely related to my gastrointestinal system, although I can’t be certain. Maybe it’s all in my head. Maybe even the lighter skin I am seeing is a figment of my imagination. All I am sure of, as of now, is that I have mild stomach ulcers and I am not suffering from H. pylori infection. Additionally, this type of itch is usually associated with a change of soap, water, or occurs during the cold season. I have been trying to keep warm, and starting tomorrow, I will go back to using my usual soap.

I finished the prescribed medication tonight, about an hour ago; except for the cream whose effects I have not felt so far. While I am not in pain, the itch on my body is causing a lot of discomfort. I applied some more cream, but it did not help.

Tonight, I hated living alone. I wondered why I didn’t just go to my mom’s after work. After rubbing, rubbing, and scratching my thighs purple, I remembered the last time I had a similar itch. My father used heat to soothe the itch, and it worked. Therefore, I got out of bed, went to the kitchen, and prepared what I needed. I have burnt my body with heat and the itch has eased.

Now, I miss my grandfather. He was a herbalist. If he were still alive, he would have sent those herbs he used to send to my mom. We would have boiled them, and my mom would have covered me and the boiled herbs with a blanket (the learned call this steaming). I would have inhaled the steam and cleansed my body with the water when cooler. I would have woken up feeling well, without any itch on or in my body, and without a rash.

For now, I have managed the itch. I wish I had Piriton in the house. That way I would pop some of those pills and be confident to wake up no earlier than my alarm. As of now, I’ll only sleep until the itch is back. Then I will wake up to burn the rash patches with heat and get back to bed. Soon, it will be morning and I will ready myself for work and report to the office ready to serve this nation as the dedicated public servant that I am, or do they call us civil servants? Is there a difference?

ION, I had fun shooting the image on my thumbnail.