Home, Sick

Oh UGH!

I got super sick. What a drag. There is this cold going around... and many people have it. For me it started with many nights of asthmatic wheezing (which I thought was just from the smoke and pollution in the air)... and then the cold caught up with me! I spent one entire day in the house, and quite a few days on a very limited energy-expenditure program, and even had to miss a couple of classes. Loads (and loads) of coughing. My poor roommates!



And let me tell you, there is nothing like being sick to make you home sick. Being stuck inside the apartment all day last Thursday, I did have the opportunity to fully acquaint myself with the television options - lots of Bollywood music videos, religious Hindu programming, an entire English-language Muslim channel dedicated to peace, Disney after-school shows with blond children speaking dubbed-over Hindi... and even I watched some of the Australian Open coverage (in English no less!) and - wonder of wonders! - an entire 2 hours of American Idol. Boy, I was stoked on that. I still cought all night long, but I am over the hump (I made it to the Internet Cafe!!)... thanks be to god.


But, I must say, I can't have too much self pity, because I'm hardly alone. Of the 5 of us who travelled here together, only Holly has remained truly healthy. The rest of us have all had various levels of interaction with the Indian medical system, and it's quite noteworthy indeed. Abbey had a super bad cold (maybe the same one i have now?), Jen got vertigo from the flight (?!) (incidentally, I know that Jen would like me to point out that she got vertigo from the FLIGHT, and not from India itself, so *technically* she too, has remained unscathed by India), Mary just hasnt' been healthy the whole time - with coughing and sinus stuff and stomach problems, and now me with the wheezing and the cold. WHOA!

So, this is a picture of me at the pharmacy. I am purchasing more cough drops. The day before, I dropped by and picked up some antihistamines and an inhaler (no prescription!?). The pharmacist speaks English and is quite helpful. Here's what's interesting: the pharmacist sells both ayurvedic and allopathic treatments. Traditional and modern, from the same person. There are also many pharmacies around town that do only ayurvedic medicine. All of it is incredibly affordable and accessible as well. Jen went to the doctor, who practices medicine out of her home - just down the street from us - and paid 100 rupees (about $2.50). The doctor was educated, friendly, available, and inexpensive. Comparing all this with the nightmare of medical care in America is certainly thought provoking.


I hope you are all well... hopefully I'll be better one of these days - it would be nice to be breathing again when we start our week of pranayama classes (that's the practice of breathing) in just a couple more days. Wish me luck!


ps. good stuff coming up on the blog! I uploaded pictures for some more cool entries