Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

I know I have joked around before about kids pooping in the street and a lot of other unhygienic things going on in China, but it was never as apparent as when we made a trip to the hospital. Like I mentioned in previous posts, I was sick and then Abbie got sick. Well, Abbie ended up having a REALLY bad stomach issue and only 5 days after my trip to the infirmary. I was still very sore and occasionally having bouts of a fever and bad headaches, so I had just taken a medication to help me get some sleep. Two hours later I was awoken by a text and a bang on my door. Abbie was crouched over in pain and saying she had to go to the doctors- it was 1:20 am. I was so disoriented because I was on medication and was out of it, but I called Howard and tried to relay the message. Since I woke him from his sleep (and he is a new father), he too was as disoriented as I was. He came to our rooms by 2am and we all headed off to the Hospital. Abbie was in excruciating pain and said it felt like someone had shot her in the stomach. We get to the hospital and see a nurse in a white cap who pokes at Abbie's stomach once (the only examination she receives) and says she should get an injection to stop the spasming. The 3 of us head off to the one room, where we are greeted by the site of trash on the ground and a man who looks like he is severely burned being stitched up. In the back corner, the nurse needs to give Abbie her shot. We are all standing like we are about to play 4-square with only about 2 feet in-between each of us and a small curtain separating Howard and Abbie. The nurse tells Howard in Chinese what needs to be done. Howard then awkwardly looks at his feet and starts shuffling around and whispers to me "Abbie needs to pull her pants down, it has to go here ::points to butt::" I then peak around the curtain at Abbie and say "it's going in your ass"... even though she could totally hear what Howard said hahaha

Unfortunately, as time ticked on that drug did not work. We ended up staying on to see if maybe an IV might help. Somewhere by the time of Abbie's first exam and us waiting for the first drug to take effect, we acquired a friend we christened "Clarence" after the guardian angel in "It's A Wonderful Life." Clarence, basically watched over us and stood near us and pointed to places we needed to go inside the hospital. He followed us to the IV area- over 40 beds crammed into one room- and looked at the drugs being used and predicted how long they would take to work... have I mentioned that he does NOT work for the hospital?! Yep, he was just hanging out. When we each grabbed a bed (it was 3:30 am at the point and I was still on some strong meds), he took one across from us just to watch. Clarence wore a suit jacket and timberland shoes and just lounged in the bed. I secretly tried taking pictures and this is the best I could get of him:

While we were waiting for Abbie's IVs to finish, the 'burn' victim I previously mentioned was wheeled into the room. It turns out he wasn't burned but was hit by a car that then left the scene. Luckily, he had some great friends who took turns helping him out. It was just so hard to sit there next to this guy who I felt needed better care plus some place clean and sterile. Chinese hospitals look like they are straight out of the 1950s- including nurses with white dresses and CAPS! The only people who actually wore gloves were the cleaning crew and it did not look like proper disinfectant was used.

Clarence had left us at 6am, and we were saddened by his departure. However, only an hour later he reappeared wearing a hoodie that said "HOT" on it, changed into jeans and was now wearing white sneakers. He also was carrying a sack with 4 buns in it and his hair had been combed. We still are not sure if he lives at/near the hospital or why he was watching over us. He did come over to us and offer us one of the buns- we declined. Thinking back on it, I wish I would've had one because I think he intentionally bought them for us. We appreciated how he made a grim situation seem comical.

Thankfully, the IVs worked for Abbie and we were able to leave the hospital by 8am. I know the hospital might have been 'unclean' by our standards, but she had spent 6 hours there and had multiple drug treatments all for less than $20 USD... pretty amazing when you think about that 'burn/crash' victim earlier who probably will get treated and taken care of to the best of the hospital's ability and still be able to afford it. Maybe Clarence will keep an eye on him, guardian angel for the infirmed and the foreign.

Gifts for the Infirmed

As mentioned in the last post, I was sick and running a fever earlier in March. The next day, Abbie ended up coming down with a stomach virus of some kind and she too had to cancel classes. As a result, people were dropping by our rooms giving us bags and bags of fruit.

In the west, chicken soup. In the east, fruit (apples, bananas,... and this weird grapefruit-y thing):

From Beijing to Burning Up

After the first week of school in March, Abbie and I made a trip to Beijing for the weekend. We decided to take the subway to our friends place... what were we thinking taking the subway IN China AT rush hour ON a Friday?!? Needless to say, we were crammed into there like sardines (you often hear this expression, but this might actually be the first time I TRULY experienced it). A man behind me had a box by his feet and therefore when more people poured onto the subway pushing me back farther, I ended up being bent over backwards and not standing upright. PLUS, someone was using my messenger bag as support to keep them upright bending me farther back. I was awkwardly holding on to Abbie's pants so that I would not fall back completely or get trampled. Oh and have I mentioned before that I am somewhat claustrophobic?!? My heart was racing so fast, I honestly think I was having a panic attack.

By the time we finally made it to our destination, I was jittery and so incredibly sore. That whole weekend I ended up not feeling well and just felt drained. Finally when we got home Sunday night, I was just physically exhausted and spent. Slowly as the week progressed, my symptoms got worse and by Wednesday it hurt to move any part of my body. I went to class Wednesday morning and did not even have enough energy to stand. When my second class ended, I knew I could not do the next period and it had to be canceled. The walk from my classroom to my bedroom normally takes 12 minutes... it took me 25 minutes to get back, I was moving so slow. I passed out and by the time I awoke, I was feverish. My temperature was over 38*C and if we ever have a fever we have to call our liaison officer, Howard. He ended up coming to my room and taking me to the doctor. I was really nervous, so Abbie came with me for company. The doctor said if my temperature was over 38*C I would have to go to the hospital. She takes my temperature (under my armpit- THANK GOD) and it turns out to be 38.3*C... she decides instead of me going to the hospital I should take this effervescent type stuff and drink hot water. Let me tell you something, when you are BURNING UP the last thing you want to do is drink HOT water! So when I was taken back to my room, I opt for a COLD shower and western drugs... my temperature drops.