I Got Sick

It’s not that interesting and I definitely do not have pictures of it, BUT I just want to vent for a little while. I clearly got a virus. From where, from who, who knows? But on Saturday, July 5th, I woke up with a fever of 102 (which is PRETTY miserable!). I don’t ever remember having a fever of 102. I had a steady fever or 102 for two days straight. I took lots of Tylenol and I was constantly “bathing” myself in ice water. I didn’t feel like doing anything (except crying), not even watching tv. My whole body ACHED, my head ached, my stomach ached, the thought of food or drink made me feel sick to my stomach….I pretty much just sat. On the third day, the worst of the stomach part kicked in. By the fourth day, I FELT better, but let’s just say the stomach issues didn’t clear up for a FEW more days.

Ok, I don’t think you need to know the details of my every sickness, but the point is that when one is sick, one needs people to say “Are you ok? Can I get you anything?” One needs empathy and quietness. Now, I HATE being sick and I work really hard not to whine and I don’t need that much sympathy….

But my WONDERFUL family (they really are wonderful, I love them.), while I was still with fever and headaches began to diagnose all my problems. “It’s because you always drink cold water after you exercise.” “It’s because you ate lots of beans.” “It’s because you’re ‘impachado’.” (Impachado is their word for really bad stomach ache.) “It’s because…”
If I had had more energy, I would have screamed. But instead, I just laid there and let them tell me how it was allmy fault that I was so sick and how I do all these bad things like drink cold water and eat beans. Clearly BOTH would cause a 3-day fever of 102 degrees. Clearly.
Unfortunately, my poor little baby that lives in the house…..got my VIRUS yesterday. He had a fever of 102 and was very lethargic. They took him to the emergency room and they told the mom that it was just a virus. And now the poor child has started to have the stomach problems. And while I feel VERY bad to have given my virus to the baby because I love him with all my heart, I COULD NOT HELP BUT SAY “Funny how eating too many beans and drinking cold water is CONTAGIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!” As the mom continues to tell me about all the baby’s symptoms, I always respond with “I COMPLETELY understand.” I feel bad, but vengeance is mine.

DISCLAIMER: My family is awesome. Everything that I am writing about them on this blog, they know. I read it to them translated in Spanish. And I also could not survive in my community without them. They support and love me and although they gave me a hard time when I was sick, they also prepared the ice water, and soup and bought me gingerale and crackers and they would have taken me to the hospital if I would have let them. They are the best Costa Rican family ever!