Maybe it was that guinea pig that I ate...

Dear blog-followers, I apologize for my extended absence, but I have suffered a medical emergency. After returning from my ten day hike around the Andes--right after I stepped off the bus, in fact--I had not one but two quasi-epileptic seizures. Cheers to Nitzan, my Israeli hiking partner, for bringing me to the hospital, where I spent two nights being tested and pumped full of anti-convulsion drugs. Unfortunately, I do not have any good news about this, because the doctors failed to discover the cause of my seizures. So I have to go back to Lima for further testing since the city of Huaraz does not have, for example, an MRI machine. I spoke to my doctor in the US, and she said that the changes in altitude might have been the triggering factor. But I really won´t know anything until I get an MRI and an EEG done and consult with a neurologist. I may have to take medication for awhile... or for the rest of my life. The medical treatments are far cheaper than they would be back home, but they are still costing me a lot of money, and I don´t want to take any risks with my health, so I don´t know what effect this will have on my future travel plans. Needless to say, I am very upset about this turn of events. I will post all further information as I receive it. In the meantime, I will write something about my hike, at least as a diversionary tactic.