Why Our Worldschooling Trip Ended Early

Why Our Worldschooling Trip Ended Early - Heritage Mom

source: https://heritagemom.com/2023/02/24/why-our-worldschooling-trip-ended-early/

After our previous worldschooling trip unraveled, my family was ecstatic about the opportunity to head out on the road for a redemptive adventure. We planned the trip of a lifetime to several countries with West Africa being our final and most anticipated destination. Thankfully, we were able to complete over half the trip before the blocks came tumbling down. Again.

Life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. ⁣⁣

We experienced many perfect moments during the time that we were away, but they were mixed with some suffering as well.⁣⁣ My family returned home to the U.S. nearly a month early from our latest Worldschooling trip.⁣ ⁣⁣

⁣⁣Yes, I'm devastated.⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣It would take me forever to tell you everything, but here's my best attempt at the short version:⁣⁣⁣

I got sick in Ghana and was hospitalized with a high fever and intense vomiting. The fever went away, and they ruled out malaria, meningitis, and a million other things, but they couldn't figure out why my neck was hurting so badly. The pain increased so terribly that I checked myself out of the hospital after six days and flew home. My sister Traci was there visiting us, so she had my kids while I was in the hospital. That was the first of many miracles.

Traci's trip was pre-planned, and the timing of her arrival was purely a gift from God.⁣⁣ She stayed with my children and cared for them while I was in the hospital because Scott had already flown back to the U.S. and didn't have a visa to travel to Ghana. It was supposed to be a vacation for her, and it ended up being everything but that. She has always loved me well⁣⁣⁣.

When I returned to the U.S., the neck pain continued to get worse and worse until it was just unbearable. I'd been to a doctor who misdiagnosed me with a chronic arthritic condition and prescribed physical therapy. I faithfully attended my therapy sessions and took the medications prescribed, but neither were helpful. The doctor was unresponsive when I said that I was suffering and asked for additional care.

Alarming medical results

After two months of extreme pain, I went for a second opinion. The new doctor did an x-ray and found the results "alarming." She ordered an immediate MRI, and the results showed that I had a raging infection in my cervical spine (neck). ⁣⁣

The infection attacked and destroyed a disc and multiple vertebrae, and I was taken to another hospital via ambulance for urgent surgery to avoid the "catastrophic event" of permanent paralysis if the remaining bones collapsed on my spinal cord.⁣

It was an 8-hour surgery, and they used metal plates, rods, pins, and cadaver bone to rebuild and stabilize my neck.⁣ I have large incisions on the front and back of my neck, and they shaved the back of my hair off, so I'll have some interesting hairstyles in the months to come. I spent five days in ICU and then another day on a regular floor before coming home.⁣⁣

I have a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line that gives access to the large central veins near my heart. I use it to deliver daily IV antibiotics for the next 6-8 weeks at home. It has its downsides, but it helps avoid the pain of frequent needle sticks and reduces the risk of irritation to the smaller veins in my arms, so I'm thankful for it.

I have to wear a cervical brace around my neck at all times for six weeks to three months, depending on how quickly I heal.⁣⁣ I'm at week four now, so maybe it will get to come off in a few weeks. That's my hope, at least.

⁣⁣What on Earth happened?

The doctors struggled mightily to figure out what happened, and an entire team of experts have been working on my case. ⁣⁣

After tons of testing, they isolated the bacteria, and the infection was caused by salmonella typhi (Typhoid Fever), which is most common in parts of the world where water and food may be unsafe, and sanitation can be poor.

They only see 350 cases in the U.S. annually (from people who traveled overseas), and it rarely moves into the bones, especially in otherwise healthy adults.

The entire situation has been traumatizing, to say the least. Coming home was the right thing to do, but I had such a wonderful time in Ghana, and I'm heartbroken that we didn't get to complete our itinerary.⁣⁣

I have months of recovery ahead of me before I'll be fully healed, but I'm getting stronger each day. Above all else, I'm THANKFUL.

⁣⁣

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