Whats Eating My Legs: A Compilation of Injuries and Illnesses Thus Far

What's Eating My Legs: A Compilation of Injuries and Illnesses Thus Far

 "Hey be careful out there!" We've all read the appendix (at least the cool headings that detailed necrotizing spider bites and bot flies allowing their babies to take up shop in the back of your head) and heard Troy exclaim this phrase many a time. Never did any of us really foresee any danger in this lush paradise that we chose to explore. Our naivety was soon proven and in the most unexpected of ways. 

  Our initial injury occurred on the very day of arrival in a seemingly harmless place, or so we thought.  This is the tale of Haley and her foot wound that would later be christened as "Herbert."  Perhaps it was the red eye flight that caused an extra lapse in brain functioning or an intense focus on the extreme game of water polo that was going on, we may never fully understand just how Haley managed to scrape off the top of her foot in a pool that at maximum was three feet deep. The gash spanned the length of her foot and is still the talk of the group.

Pros: Possibility of obtaining a scar comparable to those of celebrities such as Harry Potter and or "Scar" from Lion King.

Cons: No swimming or boot wearing for the first several days which meant missing some activities. Also having an open sand and dirt magnet on the top of your foot. 

Healing Time: approx. 22 days and counting.

    The next misadventure that we encountered included our dear friend Carla in what should have been yet another harmless circumstance.  It was during a run through of a children's game for the education team that she was vigorously portraying a human trying to capture a hoard of screeching macaws (the rest of us) all the while hopping on one foot. In an instant she came down on a leaf cutter ant during one of these hops and collapsed due to a rolled ankle. The result of this was an immediately swollen and bruised area that more resembled an odd species of purple grapefruit than and extension of a leg.

Pros: Looking like a badass with crutches

Cons: Having to hobble around on crutches in a place with no pavement

Healing Time: approx. 18 days and counting.

Carla's ankle a week after the event

      

      Since I am following the chronological order of these tragedies I must also mention the presence of two other foes we encountered, Montezuma's revenge and the dreaded flu.  The first of which needs little explaining, we all had our turn and were for the most part very candid about the experience. It seems that the second however was a result of all of these Western students hugging the same tree, I cannot imagine how else a flu could spread to so many people in such a short time (besides maybe the sharing of bottles , both of the rum and water variety.) 

Pros: The ever cool nasal voice associated with "Fran the Nanny," and a better likelihood that no one will try to share your food.

Cons: Not being able to distinguish between the liquid on your face as being sweat or snot.

Healing Time: Several days to a couple weeks.

   This brings us to my injury, or perhaps it is an illness, however you would classify an abrupt and heinous allergic reaction caused by an unknown stimulus.  My initial reaction to the red blisters that conglomerated around my swollen ankles and formed constellations up my shins was that I had somehow encountered a seriously gnarly bug that found me delicious enough to devour me from the feet up.  A few more days and progressively uglier legs later, a trip to the doctor revealed that some factor of my being in Costa Rica was causing my skin to turn against me....super helpful.  This meant that I was not allowed to wear sunscreen, bug spray, rubber boots, enter water, or shave my legs.  The affectionate term for my condition was HORL which stood for Hairy, Oozy, RashyW, Legs and it provided many a good conversation about the hideousness of it all.

Pros: High probability that you will have your own bus seat, being liberated from any responsibility to look good for the opposite sex. 

Cons: Extreme itching in a place with no accessibility to oven mitts. 

Healing Time: 10 days and counting. 

H.O.R.L. beginning to heal

  From the time I began writing this report several other injuries have occurred and it is only fair to include their discomfort as well.  These include but are not limited to James' possible cavity, Joan's deet rash, Hilary's hand wound from slipping in the shower ( yet to be named ), Amanda's mini Herbert, Troy's infamous "sting" ( healing time 3 days, period of whining infinite) and Claire's wasp sting, ( the hazard of open shorts.) Our path to self destruction will surely continue as the last week approaches and we can only hope that it will be as blog worthy as the last.

Hilary modeling her hand scrape.