Death, I feel like death–the few words I told my teammate every time she asked how I was doing.
Here I was, laying in a bed, feeling pain from every inch of my body and a fever that screamed she’s not doing good.
It was probably the most traumatic 30 hours on the race. And it all started in a matter of three minutes.
It was Sunday evening. A few squad mates and I had decided to go to the Sunday night market. As we were looking around at the things for sale, I began to feel tired and achy. I told the girls that I would just go to the cafe and wait for them to finish.
As I was sitting in the cafe, I realized that something was not right. Mainly because it was 100 degrees outside and I was freezing. The girls came back soon after and I told them that I freezing. We quickly returned to our hostel: home to rock hard bed. I laid down to sleep, but the aches and freezing prevented any sleep. My teammates took my temperature and told me to stay in bed and drink water. And they would check on me in an hour.
I awoke in the middle night. Freezing again, I reached to take my temperature. It read 101.8. Oh well that explains the cold, I thought. Not able to do anything, I rolled over and fell back to sleep.
As morning arrived, my team was worried about the fact that the fever was not breaking. In fact, it was continuing to climb. With travel day fast approaching, we decided that a trip to the ER was needed. So off we went
I’m not sure what I expected a hospital in Thailand to be like. Whatever that expectation was, it was quickly invalid. We ended up at a place that was clean, bright, and filed with friendly people. It even had a grand piano in the ER waiting room (my teammates said its weirdly like the titanic). The hospital staff was super nice and very concerned about me (once they took my temperature). We were quickly led into the exam room where I told the doctor what I felt like (I left out the death part) and without even blinking he said we need to do a blood test for Dengue Fever.
My eyes probably showed a lot of shock because (1) dengue fever & (2) I don’t do needles. Wow two nightmares unfolding in front of me.
After a few minutes, we were called to go back to see the doctor. He informed me I didn’t have dengue, but that I was very sick and needed medication. Yea your probably like surely he said more. Nope. 45 seconds is how long we were with the doctor.
With medication in hand and a fever higher than high we headed back to our good old hostel.
Exhausted from the day, I climbed back into my rock of a bed and tried to sleep. Throughout the day my fever would drop and then jump right back up. But it never broke.
At about 2am, I woke up soaked. I knew my fever had broken, but I was still freezing. I reached to take my temperature again this time it read 35.0 C. Normal body temp is 37. My body was going crazy. First a fever, now it’s heading down the hypothermia path. Not knowing what to do, I rolled over, prayed, and went back to sleep.
When morning came, there was much rejoicing as my team found out that the fever had broken! Though the strength was still not there, it was travel day. With our backpacks packed and everything loaded up on the bus, it was time to head to Cambodia.
The sickness story could continue. In fact now day 2 in Cambodia, I’m still recovering. I tell you this whole story to share with you the trial I’ve walked through. To share that we are not protected from sickness and that we do get sick on the world race.
In the past few days of being sick, I have felt so much love from my squad mates. They continue to ask how I am physically and emotionally. They have prayed circle around me, praying for healing from what is attacking my body. These past few days I’ve had my family love me and care for me, from filling my water to leaving chocolate bars on my bed. They have each loved me so sweetly.
Thank you I Squad. Thank you for loving me even when I look/ feel like death. Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. Thank you for your acts of service, for the way you leave no man behind. I really lucked out in getting such a great family here. Thank you.
