The Sickness Strikes Back

Day 17- Tuesday, January 2nd

Things did turn around for me. They turned down a road where death seemed like the best option. I feel asleep Thursday night quite easily, but woke probably 5 to 6 times throughout the night to vomit and have what the Indian medical community calls loose motions (hey, I never said disease was pretty). I also started to pass blood, which was obviously quite scary. That night dragged on forever, and the morning couldn't come soon enough. Eventually though it was 9 o'clock and my car had arrived to take me to the Manipal Hospital. The residence was also nice enough to send an Indian with us to translate, unfortunately he didn't speak English.

We walked into the hospital and filled out a one sheet registration form. Name, Address, Age, and Religion. Whenever I gave my form to the lady she spelled my name wrong, so I known as Mr. Nichoas all weekend. Say that outloud, now imagine and Indian saying it. Apparently no one is allegeric to medication in India because they didn't bother to ask, and I am. We were directed to a waiting room on the second floor where I saw a Dr. Shetty. Dr. Shetty is a white-haired man of about 70, and everytime I saw him he was wearing a 3-piece suit. He asked about symptoms, gave me the standard once-over (I had a temp of 100 at the time, and felt like I was normal in that way. This makes me think that my temp on Thursday was at least 103 or 104). He thought I had colitis (inflammation of the intestines), but wanted to admit me to the hospital to put me on an IV and to run some tests.

To get admitted to the hospital we had to do this really cool maze. It's even cooler if you try it when you are dehydrated and nauseous. First we had to walk downstairs and fill out paperwork, then we had to walk back upstairs and have the doctor (who was already with other patients) sign a form, then we had to walk back downstairs to fill out admissions paperwork, then we had to walk back upstairs and wait. After awhile, a hospital employee came and got us and walked us to my room. I had to share the room with another person who liked to make noises, but as I stared at the ceiling (wondering how a hospital would allow mold to take over the light fixture) while the lady put the IV in my arm I felt like maybe I would get better. Then about 4 people from TVS showed up, and when added to the contingent that took me to the hospital the room was clearly too crowded. This was not a stress free environment.

What all my visitors did do was get my transfered to a private room (Executive Luxury level at that....which is fitting because most people think of me as an executive anyway). You see the world in a much different way when you are being rolled through it on a stretcher...you also learn to hate hospital employees when they knock you into every door possible. The private room was nice and equipped with TV and safe. I was given lots of saline for the dehydration and other drugs for the infection. After a while two Indian males helped me get into my scrubs (they probably had to draw straws to see who got to see the white man naked) and then rolled down to have an ultrasound. They put that jelly on my stomach and did the whole bit. I kept trying to look up at the screen to watch some shots of stomach while it was working, but alas I failed.

The rest of the stay was pretty boring. The doctors found out that I had a bacterial infection. Since I don't drink water here or even use it to brush my teeth AND I didn't eat anything that someone else didn't eat I don't really know where I got this bacteria. Once they got me on the right medicine my condition quickly improved. Unfortunately the doctor doesn't come in on Sundays and I had to stay until Monday evening. I watched a lot of Pop-Up Video and English Premier League Soccer, Cricket, CNN about Saddam and New Years,The Bourne Identity, and The Parent Trap (w/ Lindsay Lohan). I tried to watch a Bollywood movie, but that stuff is just too weird. I ended up spending my New Years at the hospital, which wasn't all bad because I could see a concert off in the distance and hear them playing covers of disco songs. At midnight, everyone set off fireworks and my 8th floor room provided a great viewing window for watching. The nurses were also pretty nice, although the dietician and I didn't get along. How and I supposed to tell her what I want to eat, if I can't name one Indian dish.

Because of this adventure I never made it to the Taj Mahal. Everyone that went said it was awesome and that they had a great time, but these things happen in life. I know I had an Indian experience that was uniquely my own. In less than 3 days I will be on a plane back to America. We also decided we would be going to Steak N Stake on the way home.

Song Recommendation- Three More Days by Ray Lamontagne