Monday, May 17, 2010

Food poisoning

I was up all last night sick from food poisoning (or water poisoning, not sure which one).

It was horrendous to say the least. I'll spare you the details... (you're welcome.)

I was talking with Danny today about what its like getting sick in foreign countries. Its not the same as getting sick back in states. Its a whole different level of pain. I don't exactly know why, but I think it has something to do with "different" bacteria than what your body is used to.

I took a trip down memory lane with Danny and we talked about our previous experiences in this area. My first longer-term trip overseas was to Costa Rica for 2 months when I was 17 years old. I went swimming in a small pond with some friends next to a building we were helping renovate. That same week I started experiencing horrible stomach pains and the joys that go with it. Weeks went by and I was afraid to tell anyone about it. Finally I got the guts to bring the subject matter up to my nurse friend. She gasped and exclaimed, "Casey, you got an amoeba from the pond!" She took me to the local pharmacy shop, bought me a tiny little box of "worm-be-gone" miracle cure pills, and I was back to my usual, healthy digestive self within days. If I learned anything from this experience alone, it was make sure you throw up in the toilet before anything else....

Then I moved to a little country called Cambodia for 9 months when I was 19 years old studying for my college degree. This internship was amazing and I loved every minute of my life there. My partner, Joanna lived with me and we experienced all sorts of crazy things together that year. One of them was, well, getting sick. One night she was so sick and delusional that she dragged her mattress across the apartment and planted it smack dab in front of the bathroom. She kept trying to talk but her speech was blurred and she was swaying from side to side. The moment I truly knew something was seriously wrong was when she started acting angry with me. Joanna is the sweetest girl on earth, and for her to act that way meant something was not right. (In the end she was fine by morning, just in case you were wondering.)

So I wrote a song about our, ehem, bathroom problems that year. Would you like to hear it?

Oh I love internship, boy is it nice
I get to eat lots of good things, like rice rice and rice
Everyday I wake up, its the same ol' routine
Language lesson, work, and then the latrine.

I'm singin'
You have the right to remain hungry
You have the right to say no
Anything you eat, can be used against you
Anything you eat, interns beware.

Some interns chose Australia or Europe
In my opinion, boy did they screw up!
They didn't know how much fun it could be
Sittin' on the pot with Joanna and me!

I think someday I'll write a book
About all the trips to the toilet I took
But for now I'll thank Him up above
For sending me to Cambodia, the land that I love.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

The end.

Doesn't this make you want to move to a foreign country too? Ah, don't worry... it's just a teensy tiny downside. Otherwise, this is the adventure of a lifetime!




3 comments:

  1. Don't worry...everyone who drank the pina coladas at our house got sick too!! We know how you feel and...well it feels horrible :(

    I think it was the ice!!

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  2. You completely missed your calling as a songwriter. Glad you are feeling better. If it is any consolation getting sick in London was bad too.

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