Rash + Falling Down Stairs

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Hello! First of all, I'm okay. Seriously. You really need to get that before you read on. Okay, ready?

Secondly, I will never, EVER, EVER!!!! say the phrase, "Well, at least it can't get any worse." I was thinking that as I almost started to laugh and cry at the same time after slipping and falling on the marble steps leaving my hotel. But not to worry, because you can hardly even see the bruise through my full-body (including face) rash.

The details: Yesterday I started to see a rash on the inside of my wrist and a little bit onto my thenar eminence (the big fat pad between your thumb and wrist). It was bilateral and on the wrong dermatome, so I knew it couldn't be the shingles. I figured I must just be having an allergic reaction to something. Then at 3 am I woke up and found it running up my arms, on my feet and legs, trunk, back, and neck. I was really concerned, and from what I read in my guide book, the nicer hotels have a doctor on-call. I went downstairs to ask the receptionist, but it was completely dark and a young girl was standing there. I asked if she was okay and she said that her mother was very sick and needed a doctor. I found some workers sleeping on the floor, so I woke them up and asked for a doctor, and they said there wasn't one available. I even told that this girl's mother was really sick and required a doctor immediately, and they said she'd have to wait until morning, and that even the hospitals were closed. Hospitals CLOSED? At this point I was EXTREMELY disillusioned with Indian health care, and went to get my guide book to give the little girl phone numbers to call. She went back to her room and I couldn't find her.

I sat in bed and tried to relax and needled a couple of points to help with the rash, then slept for a very short time. By the time I woke up, the rash was literally covering ALL of my body, including my face. I went to the hospital in the morning, and waited for a doctor to come. The hospital was dirty, full of bugs, and not at all full of doctors. I met a woman with typhoid fever, and when she asked about why I was there I was so frustrated about the hotel people being jerks that morning when I asked for a taxi, that I look awful, that I'm itchy and burning, and that I have shingles, that I started crying. It was nice to have someone being sweet with me so that I could get it out. After a few minutes she had to go lie down because she started shivering. The medicines she was on hadn't been working and the doctors were thinking of putting her on an IV the next day. Knocked back into reality, I apologized for complaining about my problems when she was clearly worse off. She said that all problems are bad when they mess with your emotions. I really appreciate having met her.

A little after 8:30 the doctor came in, but she wasn't seeing patients. I was persistent, and she had a quick look at my rash and said that it was likely a reaction to the drugs I had been taking. Not that I needed MORE fuel to never want to take allopathic drugs again, but there it was. First time in seven years on Western meds and my entire body is a histamine reaction. It's crazy--more of my body is red than whatever yellowish-tan color I was before. The doctor gave me one antihistamine pill and told me to stop taking my meds (I only had one pill left of each, so she said to take them) and to put calamine lotion on it. Afterwards, I went down to Dharamsala to get more homeopathy, this time Rhus tox. As I was waiting for the doctor, I also met two other travelers, one from Spain and one from France. The French guy had a throat infection, but the Spanish guy was talkative and ended up giving me Reiki as we sat and waited for his friend. It's nice to feel loved so far from home. I know a lot of people are praying for me/sending their intentions out here/thinking of me being well, and in all of the crazy stuff that has happened, there are always those rays of sunshine that get through to India. Thank you all for that.

On the way back from the hospital I stopped off into a shop, and as I was leaving there was, all of a sudden, torrential rain. I mean, crazy stuff like I've never seen. The Sufi man who owned the store I had been in let me borrow his umbrella, "for protection," which I soon needed, because as I got to the hill I needed to climb, there was about a foot of FLOWING water coming at me. I stood in front of a shop for a while to wait for the rain to slow down, but finally I got too cold and walked up the hill against the flood. I had to hold my pants up because the current was so strong that it was pulling them down. I didn't want to think about all the cow poo in the seriously brown water. After the rain stopped, I left the hotel to take my poo-ed up pants to the cleaners. On the way out, I slipped and fell onto the marble stairs. I think my hip is a little out of whack, so if anyone knows any good chiropractors in Boulder, I'll probably need one when I get home. I may also need a dermatologist if the rash is still around. However, I hope it's not because I have several gigs scheduled right after I return. Even more importantly, I start treating patients in clinic two weeks from tomorrow.

So that's my day. And it's only 6 pm! Wish me LUCK!

Lots of Love,
Jessica

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Comments

[Jessica's Mom, Trish]

Oh, my amazing daughter!
Hello, sweetheart! I've been agonizing every time you've phoned and I've missed a call from you! Please let me know where I can phone you or approximately when you'll be phoning again. Last night, at 12:15, I left the phone (ringer on) on the bed as I went down to the bathroom -- I was gone only a minute -- and when I returned, voila! There was the "missed call" message streaming across the screen. I yelled out "noooooooooo!" and then stayed up for two more hours -- partially out of frustration and disappointment (and I'm sure my blood pressure went up and then I was wide awake! :)) and partially in the hope that you might phone back. Oh, crud... How I miss speaking with you ... thank you so much for the messages ... I just read your updates and can't decide whether to laugh or cry. Your literary wit is surpassed only by your phenomenal strength and ability to see the positive in every situation -- no matter how challenging and frustrating (hmmm... maybe I'll take lessons from you ... nope, I'm still frustrated that I keep missing your calls!). I'm glad you found out about the allergic reaction -- Kat and g'ma are allergic to penicylin (sp?) and Aunt Kathi, Lora, and I are to sulpha. I had that same reaction a few years back -- my first time -- and, coincidentally, Aunt Kathi happened to be in town and, when she saw me, immediately advised me that I was having an allergic reaction to something (I don't think I even told her I was taking anything). We only just found out about Kat's allergy a couple years ago -- since you, Kat, and David were never on any antibiotics to speak of, we didn't really know of any. I don't know about allergies and/or sensitives on your dad's side. Your adventure is an amazing one (no surprise, since you're such an amazing young woman) and I'm so glad (as I'm sure everyone else is) that you're making these journal entries for all to share! THANK YOU! Love, hugs, kisses, (raiki from Eileen) and loads of good thoughts to you, Mom xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo