Parasitic Infestation

For the last three months or so I’ve been feeling “off.” After a few weeks of wondering what the heck was going on, I finally went to the doctor who confirmed that my ailment is real: I have a parasite in my abdomen. Lovely, eh?

The type of parasite is quite common—I forgot the name of the parasite (it was long and complicated) but the doctor said it is a result of a phenomenon called avianapis. Pretty obscure, I know. I figured Dave would be absolutely hysterical about this development, but so far he’s adjusting to it quite well. And this is obviously a very good thing for me, since I need someone around me who is rational.

The doctor was quite frank about the whole situation: she said that there are only two points in time during this type of parasite’s infestation cycle where it is likely to leave my body on its own, without medical intervention. The first point has already passed so now I just have to wait it out. Depending on how my body reacts to the parasite, I might be really uncomfortable or I might not notice much. We’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully my body will purge it naturally so I don’t have to undergo any scary procedures involving scalpels.

There are oodles of over-the-counter pills that I can choose from that will help the situation along. The pills I’m taking right now make me gag and often leave me feeling nauseous (which I absolutely loathe). My doctor said that nausea is a typical reaction to this type of medicine.

The good news is that most of my life can continue as normal: I can still work in the lab, do yard work, ride my bike, etc. Since I’m not contagious (I’m just a “carrier”) I can still cook for my family and friends, which I’m thankful for because we all know how much I love to feed people. I can’t, however, drink alcohol because it could ruin my insides. As much as I enjoy a glass of good wine, I’m not willing to risk it. Last year my friend, Brian, couldn’t drink for like 4 months while he was on medication—he survived all that time without ANY beer or wine. If he can do it, so can I!

Want to know something else weird about all this? I caught this parasite from Dave…my own husband. There’s a strong likelihood that he was bitten by something back when we traveled to Egypt and Spain two years ago.

Once I have done a little more research about this condition, I will post an update. And yes, I will include all the gory details just in case any of you find yourself in the same situation and want to know what to expect.