Liz update 3

We thought it would be good to put a brief update on my health here so those of you we haven’t seen yet can keep up to date!

Since being back in the UK I have been to see the local doctor and had some tests done. These all came back clear. They checked malaria and other normal blood stats, plus urine and stool samples. We were relieved that everything was fine. The only thing that was a slight problem was that my potassium was a little low, which can lead to weakness so I have been told to eat lots of bananas!

After receiving the results the doctor referred me to the Tropical Medicine Centre in Oxford at the Churchill Hospital. I went yesterday and they did a good examination. They took blood samples to check for Brucellosis and Bilharzia and other such tropical things. They also did a chest x-ray to check for TB. The latter was clear. I have to go back a week on Friday (28th May) to get the results from the blood tests. They seem to think that it is unlikely that I have an infectious disease as these usually present a temperature or fever and I haven’t had this at any point, however it will be good to rule this out once and for all. If this lot of tests draws a blank I will probably be referred to a specialist to look at my stomach and other non-tropical explanations for my problems.

We are thankful that we have got this far and have ruled out some things and that we are in the system and things are moving forward. We are aware that this is a long process, however, and can be frustrating at points. We need patience and to trust that whatever is the problem will be discovered. Thankfully I haven’t been feeling too bad since I’ve been back. I haven’t been sick for just over 3 weeks, have a good appetite and have been able to put some weight back on. I have still felt very tired and achy at points but have been able to recover after sleeping. This makes everything a lot easier and means that I can enjoy having some home comforts and treats too. Thanks everyone for your continued care, concern and prayer as well as all the communication and practical help we’ve had – we appreciate you all!