Sunday, Bloody Sunday 

Aaah. So I was minding my own business last night, enjoying the end of a beautiful Saturday. Joachim came to visit, and we had a lovely time. 

Then, a few hours after dinner, like the infamous duh-duh duh-duh music from Jaws, my stomach started to warn of impending danger. 

Whatever. I ignored it. 

By morning, after repeatedly emptying the contents of my stomach throughout the night, I was playing a different tune. It was more like the Flight of the Valkyries from Apocalypse Now. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. Hmmmm. Not really. 

RG3 said, “you are going to hospital–now.”

At approximately 8:30, I was admitted Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. By then I was in such bad shape that I started to pass out. They basically carried me to emergency. 

The doctor examined me, took appropriate samples, and started an IV drip. I was very dehydrated and was having trouble even sitting up. Fortunately, after two bags (one liter), I started to feel better. 

That was short-lived. The test results came back, and the doctor said, “you have a lot of bacteria in your sample.  Most likely food poisoning.”  Great.  I said, “which kind of bacteria?”  He said, “I don’t know.”
Ummm, what?!?

He said it was probably salmonella or e-Coli or one of many other nasty microscopic organisms. So he said he would use a broad spectrum antibiotic to kill it. Whatever.

The nurse then arrived and injected what looked to be a horse-sized syringe of antibiotics into IV drip bag #3. 

ArghhfddhRRTTTTTTTTSSHHHHHHITNOOOOOOOOOO…

Yeah, it made me even sicker. The vomiting and diarrhea started with a vengeance. Sorry, probably TMI, but that’s how it went down. 

But that wasn’t the worst. As I writhed in my hospital bed from the pain and nausea, they brought in another patient:  a woman who looked to be in her forties. Young and lovely. She was wearing a beautiful traditional dress. I noticed her pretty feet. 

I watched her die.  

I asked the nurse, ” will she make it?”  Nurse said, “no–she will Rest In Peace.”
Oh my god. Then, to my left, a woman was thrashing around and crying out in a lot of pain. She kept crying, “Jesu, Jesu.” (Jesus). I don’t know what happened to her, because at that point they moved me. 

In my new room, I wept quietly as I thought of all the poor souls around me. And mostly about a family who would be receiving very bad news about a loved one. Tragic. I will always see her little feet in my mind’s eye, motionless as the doctors and staff worked to resuscitate her for over 30 minutes. 

The doctor then advised that I would be spending three days in the hospital. Uhh, hapana, Bos (no, Boss).  Give me some drugs and my walking papers. 

Finally, at 4:00, after the fourth IV bag, they discharged me. I now sit at home drinking ORS (oral rehydration salts) and pondering this day. I still feel terrible: my entire body aches, nasty headache, stomach cramps and pain, and continued bathroom difficulties. I look and smell like sh*t. 

But I am alive. 

-Badger (down but not) OUT!!