Giardia (not for the faint of heart)

So I knew I wouldn't get through these 2 years unscathed.  I'm pretty sure that I have Giardia for a second time (undiagnosed at the moment).  I say I'm pretty sure because I had it in September and my symptoms are similar.

This is what's inside me

Giardia is an intestinal parasite.  With it, life gets pretty uncomfortable.  For about 12-16 hours, they activate, or whatever they do, I don't understand the biologic process; but they go into jerk mode and I can't really eat until they chill out.  Lots of gas and diarrhea and nausea ensue.  Then for 5-6 days, the sleep or something and I'm a normal person again.  It's difficult to realize that that's the case because the first 1 or 2 instances can be attributed to food poisoning or a stomach bug.  By the third time, you can be certain if you have been keeping track of symptoms.  

So how do I get these out?

Treatment is simple.  Take these pills for 5 days and it should be gone.  Maybe I didn't get it all out last time, maybe I got it again (there is alot of dirty water here), or maybe it's another type of parasite.  Either way, I have to get it diagnosed again.  Here's the worst part.  I need to send in a stool sample.  I could just go all the way to Ouagadougou, but I don't want to miss class for 3 days or sit in an oven of a bus for 8 hours just for some intestinal discomfort.  So I have a MIF kit in my house: a little plastic medical container with preservative solution where I have to put my sample.  I send it in to the medical office by a bus company, and they look at it, then send me my medication by the same type of transport.  Should take 4-5 days.  Just in time for the next visit from my parasite buddies.  But as Calvin's dad would say, Giardia builds character.  It will only make me appreciate America more when I go back.