From Masala to Bollywood and everything in between! Catch up with me and my time around South Asia

Here I sit, recovering from one of the worst experiences I’ve had in India yet. I’m not sure if it was a virus, something I eat or drank or what, but it sure was awful. It all began yesterday afternoon on my way back from Hindi class…I had assumed it was just a combination of the heat, smelly and bumpy driving conditions and maybe some bad watermelon (although everyone has reassured me it was not). I returned to the ICMIS campus and took care of some business with shipping a package back to the US when I was overcome in my Dean’s office with light-headedness and nausea. I ran to the bathroom and attempted to sweat it out…but to no avail. I returned to my room to “take rest” a term I’ve become quite familiar with in the last 32 or so hours. After resting some time and many trips to the bathroom with the runs I thought I was on the upswing and managed to eat some plain bread and rice and drink lots of water. I awoke around 1am or 1:30 feeling worse than ever…fever, chills, stomach cramps, and nausea. I got sick a few times, and still didn’t feel any better. I went to bed with a cold compress and hopes of feeling better in the morning. I woke up and had some scrambled eggs Stacy had prepared for me, and even fed me in bed!! Unfortunately despite all the Imodium I had taken over the past hours I will still plagued with the runs, a headache, and just general weakness and feeling woozy. The dean and the administrators decided it would be best if I came to the local hospital to check everything out. I arrived and the doctor saw me within 10 minutes (talk about service!), she took my blood pressure and temperature—blood pressure was low and temp was high—103. So they admitted me and put me on IV to rehydrate and keep me from being any sicker. They also gave me a shot in the bum to keep me from being nauseous—it was a stinger! They took blood to check for typhoid and malaria…luckily both came back negative. My fever broke within an hour, and I’ve had many visitors from the campus and just some friends from around town—Indians are known for their hospitality and generosity in times of need. They have proved this to me completely—Gigi brought me flowers, soup and all sorts of goodies, she’s staying with me here overnight, and giving up a night in her warm comfortable bed for a night on a hospitable cot! Every time I think about how many people have slept before me on these gross sheets it gives me the heebie geebies…I’m not so inclined to go down that road at this moment. So I stayed the night and woke up with two more rounds of IV drips. Life began to pass very slowly from minute to minute…I was feeling better and ready to get out of my hospital hellhole! Dr. Rao and Stacy came for Gigi and I around 11:45 and we payed the bill in cash (they didn’t accept anything but in the little local hospital)—Rs.1400 or $35.00USD. I think this is pretty cheap for a night in the hospital with plenty of care and IV drips. I’m happy to report that I’m now feeling much better and resting…eating mostly rice and yogurt items trying to keep my tummy happy!!! Stay tuned for more of my adventures—Hi Grammy, Grandadaddy, Nana, & Papa, miss everyone very much!