Sick Again

Once again, I am sick. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what's wrong with me. Monday night, I went out partying and only got home at 5am, and slept at 6. I wasn't supposed to have class that day and the next so I wasn't worried at all. Naturally, I was nauseaus (aaargh, I can't spell it!) the next day. I ignored it thinking that it was only because I lack sleep and I would just sleep the whole of that day and the next. That evening I had dinner with the other teachers as it was Women's Day the next day. Still dizzy (isn't that so much easier to spell?), I refused any alcoholic drink. Thankfully, the women did not try to pressure me into drinking. They asked me to take home the left-overs (because I'm the only one who lives alone and everyone knows my kitchen prowess is limited) which until now remains unopened on my kitchen floor.

The next day, Wednesday, one of the teachers was sick and I was asked if I could substitute. Thinking that I'd be fine by evening, I said yes. I wasn't fine by evening. The class was terrible. I wanted to throw all the kids out the window one by one. Again, I had already accepted a dinner invitation that night so despite feeling like I had to throw up every once in a while, I refused the urge to just lie down in bed and wander off to dreamland. Again, I refused a single drop of any alcoholic beverage. I would really have thrown up otherwise. Again, I was given the left-overs. And again, they're on my kitchen floor unopened.

When I woke up this morning, Thursday, I really did throw up. And I also had (still have) a bad case of diarrhea. I sent a message to Wendy telling her I didn't think I could go to my classes at the college. I got a message saying that the headmaster said that I had to go because the classes were already scheduled for the entire month. At that time, I didn't know if I felt more sick or disgusted. The headmaster came to my house that morning and offered to take me to the hospital before I head to my class. I refused since I'd already developed a hospital phobia by this time. So I went to my classes, weak and dazed. I told my students how I was feeling and allowed them to do anything they wanted as long as it had something to do with English. Therefore they could read, write, or even listen to English songs, etc. They could, of course, ask me questions if they had any. For lunch, I ate less than half of the serving which was very unlike me. And I had to go to the bathroom several times.

After my classes at the college, I sent Wendy a message that I was still not feeling well and that I couldn't have dinner with her and her students as what was previously planned about a week ago. I still feel bad about this since they'd already booked the restaurant and all. Anyway, I also asked her to have the headmaster cancel my evening class at the north branch of the school. Having done that, I went to sleep. The headmaster came to my house again and insisted on taking me to the hospital. I finally relented after I made him promise that there would be no injections and no pain whatsoever.

The hospital visit was uneventful because of that. The doctor asked a few questions, took my blood pressure and my temperature. The headmaster bought my medicines then we had dinner before going back home. I only ate a maximum of three spoonfuls.

--Just came back from the bathroom to report that those three spoonfuls aren't in my body anymore. They never even had the chance to be digested.--

I don't think the doctor could deduce much from my blood pressure and temperature so I leave it to myself to figure out what's really wrong.

1. Extremely anemic. I remember feeling a milder version of this back in grad school when I wasn't getting enough sleep. Nauseated (spelling check!!!) for about a week. It eventually went away when I started taking iron supplements. I must admit that I haven't been religiously taking my vitamins because, I know this will sound ridiculous but, I wanted to make them last longer. I haven't tried buying vitamins in China yet. I know I know, I'll take them everyday from now on.

2. Food poisoning. Throwing up? Diarrhea? Sounds exactly like getting food poisoned. But then again, why was I the only one with the symptoms?

3. Dyspepsia. Otherwise known as indigestion. I checked a website and I seem to have all the symptoms except for the stomach pains. I only have stomach pains while throwing up. Oh wait, I think I might be having stomach pains now... although that just might be the power of suggestion. Anyway, I burp a lot, feel bloated although I haven't been eating much, feel nauseaus, vomit. It says that one might have diarrhea due to some medicines. I had diarrhea even before I started taking medication.

4. And because there's a bit of blood in my vomit, my paranoid mind is afraid that I might have contracted tuberculosis. It is very much possible, when you think about it. How did SARS spread so rapidly in China?

Oh god. You know what I miss right now? Sky Flakes. I can't seem to eat anything without throwing it up. The mere thought of food makes me want to throw up. But Sky Flakes, Sky Flakes assure your stomach that it won't be empty. They're light enough to fool your brain and stomach into thinking that you're not eating anything, but filling enough not to aggravate the acid that I imagine is now forming and swirling around because of the lack of real food in my stomach.

Here are my resolutions if I survive this ordeal:

1. I will impose a curfew on myself. 2am. That's it.

2. Vitamins vitamins vitamins galore!

3. Chew my food very very carefully.

4. Start carrying my hand sanitizer. It was popular in the Philippines, I'm going to make it popular in China too.

I would try and get some sleep now. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow I can report that I'm feeling so much better.