It is so incredibly important to follow some basic rules:
1) Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.
2) Wash your hands before eating.
3) Generally, don't eat street food.
That being said, Veve and I have broken rule #3. The other rules we have abided by strenuously.
Today, upon getting back from the field, we had our regular daily meeting. Except today was a little different.
It seems that one of the volunteers had been ill during the night and was taken to Medecins Sans Frontieres and was diagnosed today as having Cholera.
Mom, Dad and Sandi, before you freak out! Don't worry. Cholera only kills if it goes untreated - you die from dehydration from diareah and vomitting. If caught in time, it is actually quite easy to treat.
The volunteer is apparently recovering quite well and is expected back at base either tomorrow night or the next day. Isn't that amazing!
Once the diagnosis had come back, the staff of All Hands went into action. The bathroom, kitchen and the volunteer's belongings and bedding have been sanitized. Everyone (staff, local volunteers and international volunteers) have had a presentation by MSF about the signs, treatment and fallout relating to Cholera. Everyone is very cognizant of the importance of Rules #1 and 2 now and the impact of not following them.
Many of the volunteers are quite young and I believe they have that sense of invincibility that is very common in the young. However, I think this incident has brought some gravitas to the fundatmental rules of cleanliness for them.
Don't worry about Veve and I. Our bowels are good!!!!!!
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