I got sick...full story at 11.... (quick, unedited version full of mistakes)

I'm not eating anything but soup and rice right now. I just spent two days in the hospital with salmonella. Top that off with a little bit of microbacterias too. The latter weren't up to a noticeable level and the doctor wasn't concerned, just gave me some pills. Pretty normal stuff in gringos.

Salmonella - quite a bit more serious, but all is going to be ok. I was out with my friend Miguel until very late and slowly from about 3am on I felt growing and then significantly worse pains in my stomach and intestines. I tried to ignore and then finally I just wanted to be alone (Vanderbosch's DO so HATE to be sick around other people). He took me back to my hotel and I kind ran to the bathroom, shouting "Ciao" as I fled. He was very concerned and left instructions with reception to call him if I didn't get better. I spent the next 15 hours between vomiting, diarreah, and my bed. Around 6 or 7pm I managed to stumble to reception and they called him.

Reception helped me back to my bed and then the girl waited with me until he came with a friend.

Being a Vanderbosch, I was sure that either it would pass or you know, I could go to the pharmacy for something tomorrow. He said, "NO. Hospital." I answered, "are you sure?" He just looked at me, shook his head, rolled his eyes and stopped a cab.

Half of his household came to visit me that night to make sure I was ok, did I need anything? He spent the night in the hospital with me and the next morning he and Angel (who had visited the night before and came back) talked thoroughly with the doctors about everything and although I didn't understand everything, I caught about half.

-note:Angel is the only person who speaks even a little English-

Boy am I glad that I spent half of my travel money on InsuranceŞ!!!

After about 17 hours on an IV, they secured my release and took me straight back to their home where I spent the day in bed with liquids. They nursed me for two days, with Tatoo (the household cook) making special meals for me according to the doctors orders. God bless. Miguel took the day off, and then went out and bought a DVD player and movies for me to watch.

There are 5 living in the house, all of them work for Miguel in his tattoo and piercing studio, and sort of generally in life. Suddenly I found myself with 5 nurses round the clock.

Today I went back to my hotel and sorted things out and then they took me out to lunch (chicken soup and Coca tea- it's good for digestion).

At lunch Tattoo asked me if I was going to come and live with them. Angel hit him and Tattoo turned to me and said, "Don't you like us?" Apparently the position of "Mama" in the odd family is open. :-)

It's an odd little family they've put together but they're all really dear and devoted to each other. Apparently it's another two days before I can eat anything very solid. (I wanted chocolate in the supermarket just now and Angel stepped in and said no- he's the official one with all of the Doctor's orders).

Such a weird few days. I was really lucky though. VERY lucky. Today they made me choose a few more movies (The Two Towers, X-men II, Spiderman, and something else they chose- hey, I'm watching with a bunch of guys. I couldn't very well choose The Pianist.) They were very sweet and kept asking in different stalls until they could aquire the movies in English with subtitles so that I could understand too).

I can't even say the feeling of God watching over me when the Dr came back and said I had salmonella. Alone I wouldn't have thought to go to the hospital- just the pharmacy...although by the second day it would have been tough to go the one block. As it was I could barely manage reception down the hall.

Lesson learned. Thank God and keep me in your prayers please.

The salmonella I got in Chile from the only time that I didn't eat just bread and butter with honey. My last day in Santiago I ate in a food court in a huge mall. I ordered a wrap sandwich and was disgusted to find it had all sorts of awful sauce. However, I'd just spent $3 (more than a day's worth of food) on it and I was hungry and going to be on a bus for many many hours...so I ate it. I can't say that my judgment came into it cause it was so very like an american mall. wuff.