Woke up not feeling great in general, then had a feeling of nausea. I had panadol as well as the precautionary anti-gas tablets - after all i didn't have anything yet. I still felt terrible even after a rest. I told Lynda, who was sitting outside my door on the verandah that i wasn't feeling so great. On this trip we had a pharmacist and an acupuncturist. Tristanne who is an acupuncturist by trade, gave me some acupuncture in my legs after doing a test - she said that my stomach was really damp. This improved how i felt but i decided to skip lunch. The bus came back to pick me up but i really wasn't feeling well by this stage. I was lucky to have a wonderful room mate who packed my belongings on the bus.
I had a fever and the start of the hot and cold shakes. fiona gave me an anti-nausea tablet too.
I was disappointed but knewthat i would have to forego Day 3 of cycling. This would be from Kep to Kampot. I hoped i would be a little better later on and maybe i could continue the ride.
So i reluctantly rode on the bus with Helen. Helen was not cycling at all this trip. She had a back injury so was our chief photographer. As we rode along each stretch, Helen was always at the end taking photos of us on our bikes. It was different to watch everyone else cycle.
On this journey i was really busting to go the toilet. I was busting. The bus had stopped to wait for the girls to appear for their break. Rin the bus driver helped me find a toilet at a local villagers house. We walked into someone's backyard and headed to the outhouse. Rin looked in, then looked at me and shook his head. Although he didn't speak much english, i knew that this toilet was not good for me to use. He pointed to the bushes. We weren't exactly in wide open spaces and there was lots of people around. I didn't want to bear my bum to the world.
I headed back to the bus and decided the best way was for someone to hold up a sarong as a shield so i could pee. This would be my first rural outdoor pee in cambodia.
I was still feeling pretty off and spent the rest of the cycling legs lying on the back seat of the bus. I had the hot & cold shivers pretty bad. I spent most of the day like this.
It was when we finally arrived in Kampot that my health really went down hill. I was going to vomit, I was dragged off the bus and from then on its all a bit of a blurr. I remember sitting between 2 girls, one of the them Tris and the other Lynda. I couldn't walk up the stairs so they sat me on a chair outside. Again, it was stinking hot. They found a plastic bag for me to throw up into. I'd been drinking blue powerade, so you can imagine what colour was now in the bag. then the worst thing i could imagine happened. Let's just say my black shorts were now brown. That has to be the most disgusting thing that has ever happened to me.
By this stage i was feeling delirious. I was pushed into a bathroom and jumped in the shower. I was still shaking with the hot and cold fever. The girls had gone through my suitcase to find some clean clothes to wear. I jumped straight into bed and waited for the girls to call a doctor to come. Problem was that the doctor couldn't come so i had no choice but go to the hospital. I really couldn't walk by this stage as i was so weak and faint. My body was shutting down.
Rin was helpful in getting me off the bus. I just lay on this hospital bed that had a plastic cover on it. My temperature was 39.8 degrees. I was burning up. I am so thankful that Lynda, Tris and Mavis were there.
There were times when i thought i was sleeping but i think i was drifting in and out of conciousness. Lynda confirmed this when she said she got really worried when she saw my eyes rolling into the back of my head.
I remember that the last time i saw happen to someone was when my sister Lynda was little and had an epileptic fit. But i didnt have any idea at the time. I was really scared but the doctors gave me some injections of pencillin and anti-nausea as well as a blood test. My fever was still high. Luckily i had 3 angels with me who just caressed me and reassured me every step of the way. They made sure that the nurses were injecting clean needles every time. We called my parents, because before i left, my grandmother was sick with vomiting and the runs. I didn't want to scare them and wanted them to know that i was ok. But the doctor wanted to know what it was in case this is what i had. Nana was not diagnosed as such so that didn't tell us anything. But i started to feel a bit better.
The doctor declared it to be severe dehydration and sent me back to the hotel with medication to take and advising that i needed to rehydrate myself. Mavis prepared the bladder of a camel pack with a solution and told me i had to drink it all. It was time for dinner, so i told them i would be ok and would just sleep while they were away. They left a phone with me in case i felt worse and then they would come back. Before they left, they asked if i wanted to see everyone. It was kind of funny because my room was like a palace. We had to pay extra for it. On the count of the 3, the girls opened back my curtains to reveal all the girls waiting at the bus. All i could hear was laughter. It was pretty funny. They came into my room for a visit, and again, it was really funny even though i felt so sick. I think a few of them had been to the hospital hoping to see me but were turned away. So it was nice to see everyone. the all left and i fell asleep then woke to Katherine sitting by my side. I felt quite out of it and wondered why she had woken me up. I was so glad she did because i got up to go to the toilet and my stomach had ballooned up and the pain was excruciating. By this stage the runs had set in and seemed like they were there to stay. I was really weak and in alot of pain. They made the call to go back to hospital. At the hospital they put me straight onto the drip.In fact i had 3 bags of iv fluid before they said i could go back to the hotel. Sabine was with me this time and had been rubbing my feet the whole time. It was late and had been a really long day. I could see that the girls with me were also tired. Mavis had prepared my bag again and packed everything away for me. The room we were in only had one double bed but they brought a matress in and Mavis slept on that on the floor. She was truly a great room mate, so caring and kind to me. Thank you Mavis xx
