six months, sick, seeing things clearly now

on an S kick for titles I guess.

So as of Thursday I've been here for 6 months. The last month has gone by quickly, but the rest, well, it has its ups and downs. I really live by the saying about being abroad is like living on a rollercoaster. Who knows what the next 6 have in store for me eh.

It's also been nearly a year since I graduated. A crazy feeling. Was talking with my friend who is still in Ithaca and she mentioned classes were almost over and I had to catch my breath. I had a moment of, "and well? what have you done with your life in that year?" And while sometimes I don't feel like my job is necessarily the greatest (okay, i often hate it, the management at least), and I have struggles in daily life (from my water heater, to assaults, to my next story about being sick), overall I'm having one hell of an experience here. And enjoying it, despite everything bad that happens to me....

...including Chinese hospital visits.

So I'd been sick before Shenzhen, swollen tonsils, but took some antiobiotics (a lot of stuff is OTC here) and was starting to really feel better. On Sunday though, after a day of running, etc. I felt miserable and it was difficult to swallow. So, Tuesday I went to a hospital, and my amazing friends Nick and his wife Gigi came along to help me translate and whatnot. We went to a hospital where I heard there was an English speaking wing, but it was inpatient only so we went down the road to a smaller, but still decent hospital. Gigi was a trooper and in my absolute misery helped me through talking with the doctor and everything. He wanted to put me on an IV for three days because he said things were serious. Gigi was like, she can't stay overnight (go Geeg!) so the plan was to come and get the IV and then I could leave. We went to the pharmacy and got two armfuls (and wallet emptying) of drugs. 3 bottles the first day, 2 the second and 3 the third. The antibiotic was the same that I had just gotten for my second attempt of self medication, but it was better to be administered in a hospital, right? In fact, the doctor said if i felt better I could keep taking the pills I'd bought already. haha.

I should describe the doctor's office. Two chairs, two doctors treating patients at the same time. they have this little table and stool they have to sit at all day. The chair is like a big scary dentist's chair, with mirrors and lights and stuff, and inbetween the two chairs is a bunch of instruments, metal, because they reuse things like tongue depressors (though not immediately of course). No tests, just one look and poke (ouch) at my tonsils and it was, take these drugs and IV. by the way, you might get a little fat from the hormones. hormones?

Now the IV room. Around 25 lounge type chairs, not very comfortable but do the job. Luckily it wasn't too busy and there were only 4 or 5 other people getting IV treatment while I was in the room. Nick and Gigi come in and keep me company until the needle is in and I'm not dead or whatever. They were so awesome for spending so much time to help me.

2 hours later, the first bag is done. Not sure what's in it, I assume the antiobiotics, but they change the bag to a bottle, and I ask, 'one more, right?' and they say 'yup.' Things are okay for a few minutes on this new bottle but then I start feeling very figity, and my hand hurts where it's going in. I start to get hot, breathe heavily, uh oh. I page the nurse and text Nick to ask them to come back. By the time the nurse comes over, i'm doubled over and losing my vision, and I can't answer anything they're asking me. then i guess (guess because I can't see now), they brought in a stretcher, got me up on it and took me to a room to hook me up on a machine. tubes in my nose and everything. On the way i started to get my vision back (as soon as they took the IV out I was feeling better), and was able to call Gigi so they could tell her what was going on, gosh I must have scared Nick and Gigi so bad!

I felt weak for a while but got my senses back to me. Nick made helpful jokes to make me feel better, like trying to make my heart race by asking questions and talking about what would happen if he pushed the buttons on the machine, while Gigi superwomanly dealt with the doctors and refunding my unused drugs and all that.
Don't know where I'd be without those two, I tell ya.

The doctor, very nice guy, said then that he didn't feel he was confident to give me any other drugs and I should go to a bigger hospital the next day. At least he was honest, eh?

So, Wednesday, I went to a hospital (by myself this time, hopefully saving Gigi and Nick time and worry), and told that doctor what happened and that I absolutely didn't want an IV. she said, "that will be ver slow" and I said "no IV. no way." "are you scared?" she asked me. yeah, you could say that.

So, 21 pills a day for the next week or so and I will be good to go! A combo of antibiotics, hormones, and chinese herbs(violets), and 2 days later i'm already tons better.

Please family, don't worry about me. I'm okay now!!!

Nick + Gigi 4 ever.