Hypochondriac

Hypochondriac
Since moving to Samoa, I have developed into a hypochondriac, which allows me to be on a best friend basis with our Medical Officer.
It is 2:00 in the morning, and after searching through our medical manually from front to back, and finding no real answers to my symptoms, that I decided need to be examined right now, I decided to call my sister for help diagnosing. She suggested many different things to help with my persistent sore throat, coughing and other random little symptoms.
“Gargle vinegar,” she said. “I like the apple flavored because it doesn’t taste as bad.”
“I have never seen vinegar in Samoa. They probably have it in Apia. But that is too far away.”
“What about honey? That soothes your throat.”
“They do sell honey in Salelologa! I could do that. Make a trip there in a few days.”
She then started talking to one of her colleagues at work. Her friend was wondering what they do sell in my village. “Mutton, chicken, ice cakes. Ice cakes are like frozen Kool Aid. Stores in my village aren’t open too often so we usually have to go to a neighboring village. There are some days where my family drives to several villages in both directions to find things to make for dinner.”
I then accidently hit the wrong button and hung up with my sister. Being two in the morning, I doubt any stores would be open to put more money on my phone, so there will be no call back. Sorry Jen!
Talking to her was good. We talked about how I don’t need my tonsils removed. The fact that mold is growing all over my clothes. How my hand still hurts from the bike accident, and my but still hurts from falling on a rock while hiking. The possibility of being allergic to something in my village.
She reminded me that I am too young to feel sick, as her friend in the background kept chirping in, “The solution is come home.”
I responded with a quick, “Never. I’m running away to the Pacific forever!” They didn’t believe me and told me I need to come home sometime.
Even though I am a hypochondriac, I am still enjoying the Samoan experience.