Sickness, Recovery and Sticks

Hello Everyone. It's another beautiful day in this place of perpetual summer. Everyday the high is 75 and low is 55. Not a bad way to spend your days after 4 years in Portland rain, and then 5 months in the Alaskan Rain forest. (At least for me...Kami saw more sun.)
There has been a pretty big gap since the last time we wrote, but its been for good reason. A few weeks ago I was playing football with some of the kids and fell into some bushes. I developed a rash on my chest that over a few days spread to my arms, then my legs, then my feet, my hands, my back and my neck. It was like having Chicken Pox again. I started getting really weak and then couldn't go to teach anymore. At night I had really high fevers. After a few days we went to a clinic where Sam knows the doctor from family friends. Unfortunately, in Africa, clinics like the one I went to diagnose people so they can make money and stay in business. So, after checking my blood and urine, they told me I had both Typhoid fever and Malaria. (I couldn't believe and was a bit rude, demanding to see the sheet the nurse was reading off of and telling here I didn't think she was telling me the truth.) Eventually I conceded though and spent the rest of the day, the night and much of the following day in the hospital with a malaria drip and Typhoid fever injections every 6 hours. After a day of thought though, I realized something. Typhoid fever can only come through drinking the water here. Kami and I only drink bottled water, and I did not have any of the symptoms of Typhoid fever. So, I pulled the IV out, picked up my stuff and walked out. A few days went by and although I started feeling better, I still fluctuated a lot, felt weak at night, and the rash wasn't leaving. So, we did what we should have done the first time and will always do if something turns up in the future. We went to the best Hospital in the city: the International Hospital of Kampala, and the doctor (who was very helpful and explained about the way clinics do business here) told me it was a common happening when foreigners come in contact with plant life here in the Bush. An allergic reaction takes place, the blood of the body is drawn to the surface and away from the muscles, and as a side effect, the body feels weak and has a temperature when fighting off the reaction. He diagnosed some medicine that has cured the reaction, and I am back to full strength and teaching again. Valuable lesson learned about the health system in Uganda. Kami and I continue to work everyday at the schools. And, big news for everyone at home, the teachers in primary school use a stick! They are required to and its the normal procedure that children react to in learning here. So, despite the disbelief, Kami now uses a stick while teaching math. And its quite affective! I don't have to do anything of the kind with the High schoolers and am really enjoying getting closer to my students. I was welcomed back very warmly by all of the school after being sick.
We're headed to Kunungu this weekend to visit the other school and Sam's home village.
Also, supplies, shoes and clothes have arrived for the children, brought over from out visitors form Oregon! Thank-you for everyone who have helped...especially you Mom!
We love you all. We're on a proper adventure here.