My Peace Corps Med Evac Experience

I tore my ACL about a month into my Peace Corps service. I was med evacted 5 months after I tore it partly because the med officers at post didn’t belive something was actually wrong with my knee and a bigger reason was because I wanted to finish my integration before I left for this significant amount of time. I was flown to my home of record for 45 days, recovered, and successfully returned my post. Peace corps paid for my flights, surgery, physical therapy, a good knee brace and a daily stipend of $35 USD. MANY people, blogs and doctors told me there was a very good chance I wouldn’t be able to recover in 45 days but I’m happy to say it’s possible. Everyone’s healing and posts are different, but I just wanted to put a success story out there so when PCV’s nervously google “ACL tear in Peace Corps” there can be a positive outlook.

Anywho..

My life has been a bit hectic the last few months. On January 11th I arrived home and got my surgery within 17 hours. From there I had PT three times a week and unlimited care from my lovely parents. I got back to site just over three weeks ago and my first thought was “why did I want to come back so badly?”. All though recovery there was not a single doubt in my mind that I was coming back. All I wanted when I was home was to be back in Swaziland and when I arrived back it was definitely a shock to my system. My parents babied me for 6 whole weeks and now I had to take care of myself again?! How dare them!

After 50 HOURS of traveling.. A Peace Corps driver picked me up from the Swaziland airport (yes there is one!). We pulled into my family’s homestead just as they were slaughtering a cow for a funeral. Something I wouldn’t in a million years see in Michigan. I don’t know if I had culture shock but I didn’t do much of anything for the first three days except for sleep. I missed my family after being in such close quarters with them. Even though I lived here for 6 months prior going home leaving really did skrew with my emotions and made me question why I was here. From that I have found new motivation and new ideas for my community.

I have my dog Tjani back and I still absolutely hate doing my own laundry. My projects are coming along; little by little.

I traveled to Tofo, Mozambique for New Years and in a few days I’ll be leaving for Madagascar!