Hospital Fun

We understand it's been a while since we have made any updates so were going to make up for the past month or so.

        We made it a whole six weeks before being hospitalized with dengue, a pesky little tropical disease carried by mosquitos.  Alan and I were both not feeling well and made a trip to the hospital where we were hooked up to IV's and given a hospital suite.  This suite came with two hand crank beds, a tv with no remote, gourmet food and IV stands with no wheels. What wasn't provided is pretty much everything else, when checking into the hospital you have to buy a pillow, toilet paper and thermometer. Now hospital food is never good and when you have dengue you have absolutely no All this aside the staff was friendly we are fully recovered.appetite. So when whole fried fish and "stew" are sitting in your room the smell furthers your loss of appetite. Alan lost 6 additional pounds that week. 

        They know you have dengue by drawing your blood and checking your white blood cell count and platelet count.  Your normal platelet count is above 150 - mine was at 20.  You have body aches like the flu, no appetite, nausea and if your lucky you get to throw up a couple times as well (don't forget, you are carrying your IV stand around while all of this fun is happening).

        The first IV given to me in my right hand came out so the second day at the hospital my IV had to be moved to my left hand.  They used a larger needle just in case I needed a transfusion - first try, a vein was busted.  They proceeded to tell me that I was dehydrated and it would be difficult to get the IV in.  I told them to come back after a couple of hours so I could drink some water before trying again.  Second time was a success - thank god.  They have to draw your blood everyday so I had it drawn twice in my right arm, three times is my left and once from my finger because my arms were so bruised they couldn't keep drawing it from them.

        Lessons I learned - next time your in the hospital state side just be glad toilet paper is provided, a whole fish isn't looking at you for dinner and you have wheels on your IV stand.