"If you can sign, you'll be fine"

Between you, me, and the Easter Bunny I spent Easter night in the hospital. Or rather a place that they advertise as a hospital but it more like a glorified waiting room, Augusta Medical Center (AMC). I actually got to sleep in on Easter Sunday so I didn't get up until 2pm (having stayed up until 4am it was a good balance). Took a shower, had some stomach cramping but figured it was nothing and met some friends for "dinner" (dining hall "food" served while the sun is still up). As always the meal was questionable (sweet and sour ravioli for example) but nothing too concerning. On my way home I popped into the computer lab to check my email and work on some organizational stuff with Levi over the phone. I quickly left the lab as I started to cramp more severly and feel nauseous. To save the less than shiny details, I spent the further hour and a half vomitting etc., dizzy, alternating hot and cold, and intermittedly passing out on the bathroom floor. It was a less than fun experience. Barely able to speak I luckily had my phone and Levi on the other end. He called school security and the ambulance. The rescue squad was shocked that my location was on the third floor of a building with no elevator so getting me out was interesting. For the entirety of this time I was semi-conscious so there isn't much detail I can give. I do however, remember signing paperwork when I could barely lift my hand. "If you can sign, you'll be fine".

Once at AMC the rescue squad transferred me to a hospital gurney in the hallway just inside the ambulance bay doors and there I stayed. After the first hour of laying in front of frequently opening doors in shorts and a tshirt, I was cold enough to not care and still coming out of my haze. The occasional nurse would stop and ask a question for paperwork or have me sign something but mostly there I lay. Another hour and a half and a nurse-like person asks me if I can walk to an exam room. I couldn't walk when I got there but it didn't really seem like I had much of a choice. It seemed too much effort for her to push me or assist me. Still freezing and slowly regaining my composure the nurse took more information, gave me a blanket and left. As I was just about to fall asleep waiting, the doctor came in. He listened to my chest, pushed and asked "does it hurt when I do this" and then, as it apparently customary - left. Mom and Gregg got to the hospital at that point and were shortly followed by another nurse with a cart full of sharp and pointing things. To put an end to this complaint, she blew the vein in my left arm, took some blood and put an IV in my right and added a dash of a very strong (and super halucenigenic) pain killer to the flow.

Diagnosis - a virus, "the new flu", clear liquids and bed rest for 48 hours. Well, thats just not going to happen - its exam week. Mom loaded my fridge with gatorade, jello, and pepto and Mom and Gregg headed home as I insisted on staying to finish my exams before coming home on Wednesday as planned. Yesterday (monday) I slept the whole day and now have a strong dislike of jello. Today I got up at 8am, took one exam, I am at work now and have two more exams to take between now and 8pm. My feet are still a but stumbly and my hands aren't as steady as I like but my brain is clear enough to proceed (I think) . Eating "food" for lunch was dicey but I think I have passed. I am sure that by the end of today I will be worse off than when I started but my exams will be done.

That is all ...