Better

It's awful only being able to see your family once, twice per year -- and I think it's even worse to see them for a short moment but then have to retire to your room for the rest of the weekend. I essentially hid, as the pain got so severe that I would go in-and-out of crying fits. I was miserable and felt both guilty and sad for not hanging out, while at the same time I couldn't even consider getting up and walking around. I had entered a whole new level on the pain scale, and I was seriously praying for some painkillers by Saturday night. My parents were cute though, and they brought me dinner to my room, and then everybody came and sang an early happy birthday to me in my hiding place. My birthday isn't for two weeks, but my brother's was Sunday. Something seems backwards about that; I wish I could have celebrated with him more appropriately.

After 24 hours of no improvement, my mom drove me to the emergency room on Sunday morning, and DAMN if the American medical care isn't the coolest ever. Of course, I have no insurance in this country, so we'll see at just what price coolness comes. Still, I am down with the US system. First of all, you get a very comfortable gown. After years of having to fully strip down at the gynecologist's, I thought this was very luxurious. (I forgot that they gave you gowns here, although I shouldn't have been surprised after watching back-to-back episodes of Grey4s Anatomy all day Saturday.) And then they put a little sheet over me, so that everything seemed that much further removed and I could pretend that none of this nightmare was actually happening. My doctor was very nice, with a deep, booming voice, and I think we had a bit of a crush on one another. The nurse was the sweetest thing since vanilla ice cream, I almost thought she wasn't being genuine but I could tell she was. I was in massive, massive amounts of pain and she coached me through it (although I could have done without the explanation on why we needed to get "the bigger clamp" because seriously? PAIN). Considering how harrowing the experience was, it was the most pleasant it could be.

But yes, it turns out I had some insane type of infection - it was like a bladder infection on steroids - and they don't know exactly how I got it, but my bet is on complications from the infections I got in India. Apparently, everything in my body was freaking out in reaction to the blossoming infection, and the doctor did all kinds of tests and poking and proding to be sure I didn't scar or tear or bust an ovary. All seems ok as far as he could tell, we're just waiting for some lab work to give me the clear.

So finally, FINALLY after four days, I am able to be myself again, which means that Mom and I went shopping yesterday and that Dad, Mom, and I watched Jeopardy! last night together. We have planned out our remaining week with a tight schedule of knitting, sewing, cooking, and movie-watching, a trifecta of activities which I feel at this point I wholeheartedly deserve.