I hope you've been worrying about me in my absence . . .


. . . because a big reason I haven't posted is that I've been VERY sick. It started as a chest cold, turned into a fever, and then after another day of fever and chills and throwing up, I woke up yesterday morning knowing, just knowing somehow, that something was really wrong, and I needed help. You should just know that I almost never go to the doctor when I'm sick, and I'm terrible about asking for help when I need it. But I was lying in bed, shivering and coughing and crying, and knowing that if I don't ask for help, I'll be in very big trouble.

So my friend Chava left her baby in the care of her husband and came over to bring me to the doctor. Thank God no one I knew was in the waiting room of my community clinic, because I was a mess. As soon as I got into the doctor's office I plopped down on the examination table and started to cry. I was petrified, because I was so thirsty, but couldn't keep down water. Feverish, and so cold. After examining me, the doctor said I have a very severe case of the flu, and that I'm dehydrated, and no, he's not sending me home, he's sending me to a clinic where they can give me fluids by IV.

So Chava helped me into a taxi and we drove to the Meuchedet clinic. I apologize to the workers of the gas station across the street from the clinic, who witnessed me throwing up into the garbage can on their curb.

At Meuchedet, I only had to wait a few minutes to get into the nursing clinic, and within 30 minutes of arriving I was hooked up to an IV, and given the magic Acomol (aspirin) to lower my fever. Chava was amazing. She sat with me for over three hours while I became hydrated again, even though it meant having to call in reinforcements to watch her baby so her husband could get ready for work.

I just want to take this opportunity to do an Appreciation Wednesday. I don't know who figured out how to make and administer IV fluid, but that person probably saved my life yesterday. It seems like such a simple thing, IV fluid, but seriously, after the way I felt yesterday, I started to understand why people used to die so often of the flu. And still do. I feel like bentching gomel.

After being given 1.5 liters of fluid, and a prescription for anti-nausea medication, I came home. Chava made sure I was plied with chicken soup, sprite, apple sauce, bread for toast, and tea - not that I've ingested anything other than water and chicken broth, and two pieces of plain toast, since getting home. At least I'm keeping it down. Maybe by tomorrow I'll graduate to Sprite.

Anyway, that's why I haven't posted, even though there are, in fact, other things I could have blogged about. And will. But now I need to go lie down.

Thank you, Chava.