On being sick

18 July 2010--On being sick... So, it's true. Everyone who had visited India had told me that they had gotten sick. Even my doctor, who is Indian herself, gave me plenty of warnings. Well, here I am, sick!

I think I have a pretty mild case because it is more of an inconvenience than a discomfort (I had planned on visiting Bodh Gaya today and had to cancel). I ran a fever last night. It's hard to tell here in India because one is perspiring all of the time, but when you turn on the air conditioning and you are still perspiring, it's probably a fever! I also had to run to the bathroom every ten minutes last night! Luckily, I was given some antibiotics, Cipro, (belonging to a class of quinolone antibiotics) before leaving the US and I promptly started the course. Right away, it seemed like my high fever broke, but maybe that's just a placebo affect.

I'm still taking vitamins, probiotics and weekly anti-malarial pills, which I believe has kept me healthy for the past 16 days. Thanks to Disa, I also brought some charcoal pills (I found them at Whole Foods), which has helped with the diarrhea.

Eighteen years ago, I taught summer school. The theme was “Hands Around the World.” Each class picked a country and my class chose India. Searching for materials, I came across an old ERIC document that was a simple play for children about the treatment for diarrhea. It was a cute play where the kids acted out being a big pot in which water was boiled and then salt and sugar was added. The children had fun doing the play. (They were taught more than just the play, by the way. The book Siddartha was read to them, they all chose Indian names, and they colored the map of India, just to name a few activities. We even interviewed a parent who was from India.

So with that thought of keeping hydrated, I have been eating plain rice for breakfast, a little rice and dahl for lunch and lots of water. My mom always gave us kids white rice when we were sick and sometimes a little 7-up, so yesterday I had a little bit of Pepsi, too.

The monks are very concerned about my health. I have been lavished with instant soups, ramen, green tea, instant coffee, and tissues from them.

Dukhi sent the cookman to get Dr. Lama, one of the faculty who is in charge while Dr. Panth is away. Dr. Lama came by and called for the doctor for me. The doctor couldn't be reached but his assistant came by. He asked for my symptoms and took my pulse. I showed him the antibiotic I started, the charcoal tablets, and the probiotics. He told Dr. Lama to tell me to stop all of those and he'd bring me some other medications.

He left and then returned bringing his black bag out of which he pulled a thermometer. He shook it and wiped it off with his hand. I was glad when he wanted me to put it under my arm and not my tongue! I was right in thinking my fever had broken during the night, because my temperature was normal. Then he took my blood pressure and said it was a little low, probably due to the diarrhea. He gave me some electrolytes to drink and said he'd return in two hours to check my blood pressure again.

He gave me three medications to take. Norflox-TZ, which contains lactic acid baccillus just like my probiotics, Unienzyme – derived from Aspergillus oryzae and contains activated charcoal, and Entero Quinol – probably related to quinolone antibiotics.

I was told to rest and Dr. Lama said he would tell the cook that I should only eat rice and bananas. When I asked Dr. Lama how much the medicines and doctor's visit cost, he said that the office would take care of it.

Once again, I am very well taken care of here in India! Now for some rest....

20 July 2010

I am well, again. The doctor visited me twice in Sunday morning, once at noon, again at 4 pm and 8 pm, and then at 8 am the Monday morning. I had no fever all day and my blood pressure was good. The 3-day course of medications I was given worked that first day and I was back to teaching all four classes on Monday!

Because I'm from the US, I must thank all of the people here in Nalanda who called and visited me while I was sick: Dayanand, Deepak, Dr. Lama, Dukhi, Sunil, and all of the monks who visited and brought food or just looked in on me. Everyone is so kind!