Dysentery

So I've been in the Philippines for about two weeks and almost the entire time I have been uncomfortable. We have been to three cities, never staying in a place for more than 4 days. We have eaten local food, Korean food, and fusion of the two. The heat has been a killer and never before have I been able to say "I've gotten sunburned while taking a shower or going to the bathroom."

I am, unfortinually, the sickest person in our group. I've been to several hospitals and am on two medications. I have given several stool samples; the second into a plastic bag and the first into a recycled KFC plastic cup while squatting over a newspaper on the bathroom floor of the dirtiest hospital bathroom I have ever been in...wait, I used one in China before, I think China wins this one. In an interesting note the cost of doing one of these tests is 60 pesos. This is also the same price as a taxi ride to the hospital, as is the same price as two bars of soap and three rolls of toilet paper.

To quote the famous line from Oregon Trail, "you have dysentery." Wikipedia says there are two kinds of dysentery; amoebic based (parasites) and bactaria based infections. Well, lucky me, first time to the Philippines, first time getting dysentery, and I get both kinds of dysentery at the same time. Woo hoo! Oh boy I'm going to buy another set of round-trip tickets here for my next vacation.

Several items of good news:
-We have more than 2 bathrooms for 40 people now; very happy with than development.
-I am no longer curled into the fetal position due to stomach pain.
-I can daily now eat more than a small bowl of rice porridge, which seemed to be my daily max total of food intake for the past week. This also means I have lost considerable weight in the last week, however, not by the methods I would have chosen.
-I am also not forced to do the work the rest of our group is doing (which would be impossible for me right now).
-No one has grabbed my stomach in the last 24 hours asking "does it still hurt?"
-And last but not least, I will be returning to Korea, back to civilization, in a few short days. God speed sir, God speed.

Oh, and before I forget, after taking a urine test I was told by a leader in our group "Rick, we got the test results back. I'm sorry but you have cancer."
Rick: (From a 15-minute urine test?) What?
Leader: Yes, you have cancer. I'm so sorry. (immediate exit stage left)
Thirty minutes later, as the doctor has not told me anything about my 'cancer' and we are now leaving.
Rick: What did you mean I have cancer?
Leader: What? Who told you that?
Rick: You did! You told me I have cancer. Thirty minutes ago. You don't remember this?
Leader: What are you talking about? You have cancer and a bacteria infection? I'm so sorry.
Another five minutes later....
Leader: Oh, 'cancel' we are going to 'cancel' the second test. You thought you had cancer? *Laughs* Let's go~