Status Report

My 1st graders have been extra clingy this week since I hired a substitute to teach both of my 1st grade classes for the remainder of the school year.  I miss them too, but I am also relieved to have more time to rest and get back my strength.  Today, my little Starfish gave me three hugs, one each time she saw me.  I am so proud of her.  The shy creature that I met at the beginning of the year has blossomed into a sweet, confident little girl.  She has made friends in the class, and it brings me such joy to see her playing with them.

Now, who wants an update on my vaginal flow?  No one?  Well, that's a pity because I'm going to tell you anyway.  The pills finally seem to be working.  I've gone two days now with no bleeding.  Not only is this good for my health, but also for my mood.  Bleeding for 24 days in the hot tropical summer heat while wearing a giant pad because I had no tampons left, made me a bit cranky.  Why are these pads so huge?  You would think they had tiny, Asian size pads.  But no.  It's like wearing a wet, hot, sticky diaper all day.

Word has spread that I am sick.  Most of the staff knows what is wrong with me, and I have been enjoying their mixed reactions.  Every day Sophert asks, "Are you still blooding?"  She advised me to drink lots of coconut juice.  Kim recommended that I go to Battambang with her - on the back of her moto for two hours...  The last thing I wanted was to be dragged around the country by my surrogate Cambodian mother while she orders me around and takes me to another doctor who will tell me what I already know.  After I refused, she told me to do exercises every morning and demonstrated some aerobic type moves.  I laughed and said, "Kim, I can't even sweep my floor."  Thida said, "Why don't you go to the hospital?"  I told her the only way I was going to the hospital was if I was dead.  She gave me a funny look.  The men are avoiding asking any specific questions in fear that I might talk about my "female problem."  Laum freaks out when I even mention the word, blood, so naturally, I have been giving him detailed updates because it's fun to watch him squirm uncomfortably and then run away as soon as possible.  And Mr. Thang thinks I have a cold.     

I was a little concerned that the pills took so long to work, but I decided to ignore the problem, and hope it would just go away.  When I stated my plan to Cynthia, she said, "That is very Cambodian of you."  I think so too.