Nightmare on NGO Street

One morning I woke up and had the most severe pain and bloating...so painful I felt like I was going into labor(well I should not make a comparison when I do not know that feeling). Let's just say the worst bloating ever! I could barely stand up and I was just hunched over on the floor in such extreme pain….

At the same time, I was hoping it would just pass as I felt such guilt and disappointment because they kids were there all coming near me and saying “good morning" and waiting for me to come outside. And I was just in such pain and sickness…

Of course, they were just kids and could not understand what was happening. After a couple hours of rest, nothing was improving and my 7up and crackers the boys went to get me failed miserably with my system. I thought I could push through it, but I had to go to a room and fight this flu or whatever it was out of my system or I had to go to the hospital, which I do not do when traveling unless it is a real emergency....like the 10 years ago I was bit by a dog in Thailand(that was a pretty exciting story-on the "Adventures of a Bollywood Solo Traveler Blog"

At the NGO, the boys and girls rooms were separate. Sometimes I had to go into the girls room to help them in the bathroom or get them to come out as they loved to play in there with the water and dance around. He needed the office space(my sleeping area) for his meeting in the afternoon so he mentioned I could go to the girls room...... No way!

I just could not stay there as it was dark, smelly with dirty walls and beds that were broken and it smelled like poop most of the time. I was willing to make sacrifices by traveling each day to a mini house to a shower with cold water in an outhouse, but I was not going to sleep on the pavement or a dirty room when I felt so incredibly sick…. 

I felt horrible having to leave on such short notice and disappointing the kids(this is the WORST thing you can do and I absolutely know it), but I came into an environment where everyone was either "sick" or "was getting over being sick." Ragu had the worst cough ever and one of the boys was staying in his room for days because he had a bad fever...I guess I should have thought about the chance of me catching that bug a bit sooner....yikes

While I thought my friend would be concerned, he was very disappointed in me not being able to watch the kids. If I can’t stand up without being in pain, I have a fever, and I feel like I’m dying-that is difficult to take care of 15 kids. He had a meeting to attend to and he recommended I go to the hospital nearby while sipping his chai. I had to leave, but told them I would come back when I feel better. I had plans to stay there another week and then go to Goa, but with this health emergency and with his horrible attitude- plans changed. I can’t describe how horrible it feels leaving kids at the end of a visit/trip/volunteering-whatever it maybe-it is heartbreaking and the worst thing you can do to children.   


FAST FORWARD  

3 days resting in my favorite hotel 

My little home where Prakash takes care of me, bringing me meds, tea, and Kinley club soda. He had the best hospitality of anyone I came across in Bangalore and he made me feel cared about along with his daughter and wife.  The best place for peace, comfort, and rest.  But I sat in bed feeling incredible guilt thinking of the boys faces standing by the gate when I left….the guilt…that will almost kill you not the food poisoning.   

I got my laundry back and it was not in good condition so I had to rewash and dry many things… I decided that after feeling better somewhat I would dry my wet laundry in the room….. 

Woke up Monday feeling faint and not great….went to get some Set dosa that was perfect because it was super plain and I needed to eat something basic. I went to Manipal hospital and saw a doctor that prescribed me the same meds I got from the pharmacy and said, “Go take rest.” …sat in an Uber in traffic forever with the window opened and inhaling fumes and hearing neverending street noise…that is the moment where you just want to be home laying in your bed and call your doctor to send in a prescription for you over the phone.   

There were so many great hospitals in Bangalore, but I was not a “hospital going person.” It was not common for me to get this sick on a trip and if I did it would have passed by now. I decided to just take the dose that the pharmacist gave me(pharmacists also on every corner in Bangalore and they are pretty much like doctors or better than a hospital in some cases- in my case YES 

I woke up the next day and I felt so much better. I could stand up without feeling nauseous and I felt rested rather than needing to sleep continuously.  

 After a hospital visit and 5 days of rest at my perfect hotel with the most amazing, kind hospitable people…I was able to continue on my journey. Shout out to Prakash my lifeline.   

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