Personal Hospital Stay

Last weekend I started noticing randomly that if I cleared my throat it would feel a little mucous-y.  Since I got back I’ve been making an effort to reach my 15,000 step goal measured via this sweet armband called Fitbit.

I was getting close for a few days but not quite able to see the parade of lights on my wrist once the goal is met.  A few days before I wrongfully thought I had hit it because I was walking and jogging around the track.  Maybe I just didn’t see or feel the Fitbit because I was distracted.  So Monday Feb 10th  comes and I realize that I have got to do some exercise because I am way off the mark.

It’s just a little chilly but the wind was pretty intense.  While walking to the track, several blocks were out of electricity. It was eerie walking down a street that is normally lit up with street lights and business lights.  I did a light exercise regimen, jogged a lap and jogged across the bridge.

Well Tuesday afternoon I was having a neck ache, which is not uncommon, but I also felt like coughing and was warm.  Mr. Lee was hanging out in the office and he accompanied me to the doctor and they gave me some herbs and an antibiotic.

Later that afternoon I went home and took a 2 hour nap and then Ling came over with some food.  Accompanying her was the Beijing lady (Du) and 20 minutes later Mr. Lee showed up.

He felt my head  and hands and was like, go put some pants on (I was wearing shorts and felt fine), then put a jacket and socks on to.  After I was done gorging on noodles and broth, he said why don’t you spend the night at the hospital and get some fluids.

He also gave me some little black beads that kind of tasted like a Vic’s Vapor Rub. Chew and try and let the 25 tiny beads dissolve in your mouth. This was to help my throat.   I also got decongestant for several days. (picture caption: you have to walk with your fluids to the WC )

As a culture, the standard practice is to give you an IV drip of a nutrient saline solution and then follow it up, as in my case, with broad spectrum antibiotics, antiviral (or whatever you need).

While at the hospital the head doctor on the 4th floor (respiratory issue type stuff) was my physician.  ((the second day Du and Lee came visit and Lee pulled the covers over me and made sure I was warm. I tried to get a picture of him tucking me in but he refused. LOL))

My temperature kept getting higher and it peaked at 102. They had me wear my normal long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket, and two thick covers. Oh yeah it was old school sweat the fever out of you.  Next day kept monitoring it and slowly it crept back up.  So they ordered a CT and some blood work.  Raised WBC of course because I was fighting an infection and CT showed a minor infection in the right lobe….

I GOT PNEUMONIA.  That afternoon and that evening I got to sweat it out again and this time they came in with a glove to give me and a little white bullet.

Uh oh, I knew what that was for, suppository time (I got to insert myself, small victory for my pride).  Nurse said it will make you sweat and let me tell you, it looked like I was running a 5k under those covers.  One time a nurse touched my head to see if I was hot. I kind of laughed in my head because her hand was soaked with my forehead sweat. LOL

Finally the fever went away and everyone was happy.  Nice thing was that Lee had Ling stay with me in the hospital.  It was great having some company and to be able to talk to the hospital staff.

From Tuesday night until the next Monday I spent the night in the hospital and got 2-3 sessions of 2-3 bottles of IV drip per day and each session is about 2-3 hours.   Sometimes I would sleep, other times read articles on my phone, and since they had TV I was able to find the English channels and watched movies like: The Lorax,

War z , identity theft, hobbit, training day, two 300 style movies, gi joe,  Miss congeniality, and predator part who knows.

One day I was invited to go to lunch and go first to order the food.  An hour later is when everyone showed up.  In the meantime I did see this beautiful tree. As you can see it looks dead for winter except for these great big peach looking flowers. I need to ride around find some more and maybe get a better picture.

Remember how dinner/lunch takes 2-3 hours, well after I had been there waiting an hour already and been at the lunch for an hour, apparently I nodded off for a minute or two.

Du noticed and was like, Hey maybe Justin should go back to hospital and take a nap.  I was relieved because I did get super tired all of a sudden.  A guy named Hoven, who is a tourist director now,  has befriended me.

Hoven was in the military and is still sort of (he has a 20 year old son).  He wants to take me on a 2 or 3 day camping trip.  His 4×4 is ready and has all the equipment we need.  The plan was to go the weekend I got sick. Plan was canceled obviously. We had just spent several meals together, one with just us and 2 others, and when he heard I was sick he drove 2 hours to come visit me and spend time networking with others.

He made lunch for me twice (egg and noodle) and visited twice a day for two days and he even partially fixed my Wi-Fi at home.  What a great guy.

One of the nights, maybe Friday, the main doc asked me to go to dinner with him and his staff.  Later that day Hoven wanted to take me to dinner.  I consulted with Ling to find out which I should do or how I could  attend both.  The doc was about to have his feelings hurt and it showed on his face but I wanted to eat with him so I thought I’d have to disappoint Hoven.  The plan was simple, eat with Hoven and then at 7 he will take me to the doc restaurant.

Ling and I waited at the table for 30 minutes waiting on Hoven to come back. When he did we changed rooms and ate with people that really like to drink.  I excused myself to the bathroom (wc) and I noticed Lee in another room.

On my way back he had me sit and eat with him and his crew of #1’s.  Du’s son can speak a descent amount of English and I tried to explain to him that I was at another table and he goes, Oh no stay here there aren’t #1’s in that room.

Then I saw Ling and she was like you come back that is rude. But I couldn’t and so I ate some good food for a few minutes then Ling and Hoven showed up.  Onward to the other restaurant.

As a side note, being sick and having an IV Port in your arm allows you not to drink. Yippee no bijou for me.

This next restaurant is right outside of the main part of town.  It is by a “subdivision” for refugee’s and an abandoned water park.  It sits at the feet farmland and I’ve actually taken photos of this area (pond with beautiful mountains in background) once before because I was riding my bicycle in this area.

Also this restaurant is great because it has a courtyard in the middle with trees, a moat, and the pebbles in the concrete to walk on and massage your feet.  Very nice place and we had such a big table that the lazy susan was mechanical, instead of hand turned.  The dinner was fun and I was able to meet some people that I haven’t even seen before.

All of my treatment was Free.  A week in the hospital and all the medicine and doctor bills were waived.  Also, my boss was trying to deduct me from time I missed work ( I did some 1/2 days and missed some days) and Lee said oh no, you are paying him.

Plus, Ling and I were discussing with the boss about a couple disputes the Tuesday I got sick and then later that day after the boss and a couple coworkers came back from lunch, informed Ling that they would be moving her to Kunming.

They were trying to separate us because we have each other’s back and they don’t really like that.  For some reason a couple people like to create drama, and will fuel flames instead of put them out…we all know one of those.

Well, Tuesday night Ling had dinner with Du, Lee and a few #1’s.  Privately she told Du about the situation and she said she would talk to Lee for her.  (She really liked me and Ling from the week we just spent with her)  While at dinner Du publicly gave her praise and told them the situation.

Lee said, don’t you worry I will take care of that.  Needless to say I felt like getting Hoven, Lee, and Du a gift.  Ling said a box of aloe vera leafs would be a good idea.

Everyone was like, Oh I have so many, or oh save your money and just smile and be happy, but they all took it and the intent behind the gift was evident and made my point that I was so grateful for there help and friendship.