Ok, I'm sure everyone was supprised that I didn't blog yesterday. Especially since I was doing sooo well on blogging everyday and not missing a day! But yesterday was a diaster!
Frist off... Everything did go well with picking Briana up from airport. Although Caitlin and I were completely exhausted because we woke up at 5 that morning for mass and didn't get back to the airport till pass midnight. Well, Briana came at perfect timing because it was pouring rain when she arrived. Lightening storms that lit up the sky and so the humidity wasn't so hard to bare for her first time in India. Although she said the first thing she noticed was the humidity... while here caitlin and I were sitting SOOO happy about how cool it was. haha. It's funny, because you really do become adjusted to the climate here. It's not as bad as it sounds. The temperture is usually in the upper 90's but it doesn't feel hot, it just feels extremely STICKY. For an example, you step out of the shower all nice and clean, and towel yourself down.... but you realize that you're still a little damped. Sooner later you realize it's not because you didn't dry yourself off well from your shower but rather because it's just really humid here and it's one of two things... your sweat or the condensation of the humidity.
Well when we got back to the hotel room, we ran into a few more encounters of cockroaches. Caitlin and I are getting more and more use to it now, remember back to our first encounter and how we had the funniest episode on how to kill it (you'll have to ask me to see the video of our first time trying to kill the cockroach, it's halrious) but now the extermination is a lot swift and quick. Anyways, when we got back to the hotel mine and caitlin's stomach was very unhappy! We woke up numberous times that night running to the bathroom. It's kind of ironic too because I remember telling caitlin during the day.... that she reached her week and half mark, which means that she's bound to have diaherra soon or get sick and surely enough. Well the next morning after a horrible upset stomach Caitlin woke up with a fever of 102.5 or something like so. When she first told me her temperature I thought she told me 105.2 and so Iwas freaking out all morning. I went to get her ice a resturant down the street and every hour I went to a different resturant asking for ice so her fever would go down. Honestly I was terrified! 105.2 is horrible! That's almost brain damaging! Typhoid is around 104.. something, and brain damage is 107. So when I thought she told me 105, I was thinking... give it an hour or so of ice and if it doesn't go down, we're rushing her to the hospital. Although Caitlin was walking around fine and making her phone calls fine, I just couldn't fathom 105 ' . I kept telling her, the fever will pass within a day or two, and you'll probably have bad diaherra for ... a week. I asked and checked to see if she got any bug bites but it was clear free. It's always right when there's a weather change that everyone gets sick. Because of how polutted the air is when it rains the first day or so it's just raining down all the crap onto you and you really have to keep your hair covered to not get sick and although we only walked from the taxi to the airport in the rain, that did the job to give us the fever. I also think the veg wrap we got for dinner before we picked up Briana gave us stomach problems because hours after eating it both of our stomach weren't feeling well. Anyways, I'm glad I was alright in the morning to be able to run around and get caitlin ice and bring her soup for lunch because right after lunch my fever kicked in. It hit 104.3' and I was miserable! I stomach was horrible and I had one of the worst fever i ever had in my life. Although it was as high as it was, i didn't think it was something to worry about yet unless if it didn't pass in a day or so. So I waited it off. I didn't have anything for dinner and laid in bed for the rest of the day. I felt so bad, because i wanted to be able to take care of caitlin because she was also sick and then I also wanted to show Briana around town because it was her first real day in Kolkata but I was a diaster! My head was extremely hot and although it was pretty cool outside for Kolkata (88') I was shivering cold and wanted to blanket up. I knew I shouldn't cover myself in blankets so I battled the shivers for hours and reminded caitlin that she shouldn't put covers over her otherwise her fever wouldn't lower. We took some IB profen and had a wet rag on our head here and there. When night came Caitlin's fever had pass and only her stomach was bothering her. As for me... it was still horrible. I don't know if anyone have seen me sick before, i know my parents and Sara have been there when I had a high fever but when I get sick.... I moan. hahah. Don't ask me why but I just do. I don't even do it conciously but it freaks the crap out of everyone that's around me and I did it all night last night. Caitlin kept getting up and checking on me and asking me if I want to go to the hospital. It's rather funny because I know it's just something I do and I can't really control it. I do it while I'm sleeping when I'm sick. "AHHHHHh OHHH AAWWWW" All night long. Caitlin said numberous times while I was moaning I threw in the words "THIS SUCKS... OAHHHA" hahaha which makes me laugh. I got up a couple times that night because of my stomach and I actually vomitted once last night but as bad as that sounds... it was the best thing that happend for me. Right after I did, I felt a thousand times better! Everything just cleared up, my fever went down and my stomach didn't feel as bad. It still feels like crap but it's so much better than what it was before. I had some toast this morning, bananan pancake for lunch and honey,bananan,cinnamon toast for dinner. It's getting better. I also picked up some meds for Caitlin and I at the pharmacy today for our stomach. I was determined to get better before 3 today because I wanted to walk Briana to the Mother House for her Orientation and also there was choir practice today at 4:30 and I couldn't let down the sisters and not show up. I'm the only one who teaches the songs to the volunteers and also am the only one who plays the guitar, or know the songs well enough to play the songs. So I was trying to get better before 3pm and a rosary or two did the trick. It's always such a great feeling being at the Mother House. It's just wide open and not all clustered and it's so clean! It's great! I always forget what the first time feeling is like but Briana reminded me again just as Caitlin did... it's a surreal feeling being here in Kolkata, India and then when you step into the Mother House its just this peaceful calming feeling. It's so comforting and you just feel so much love! It's such an amazing feeling! I got to say a rosary in front of Mother's Tomb and spend some time in prayers while Briana was at Orientation. Briana got assigned SHISHU BAHAVAN!!! Which I'm so excited for her and she's even more excited! Choir practice went well today I had to lead the first half of practice on my own because the sisters were still doing some orientational stuff. We went through more mass parts, ran through Blessed be your name again because there were new volunteers who showed up for practice, and than ran through As a deer and a song that was written by one of the sisters here at the Mother house that was dedicated to Mother Teresa, which will be our exit (send forth) song for mass next thursday. I'm really excited because there was a really big turn out for choir practice about 40+ volunteers and the songs are coming along VERY WELL! It's really rewarding to see the fruits of your work... although nothing is by my own will but by the grace of God that things can run as fluidly as they do. Anyways, today is a better day... I going to head back to the hotel and pray that i get a good night sleep because the goal is to be able to wake up at 5am for morning mass and get to work at Daya Dan. Well keep us in your prayers and especially for our health! Take care and God bless
Friday, July 20, 2007
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Thank God, you are both feeling better! You've been in my prayers constantly from the time I found out that you were sick (Caitlin's phone call). Sounds like Brianna's arrival went without a hitch (yea!) Her week and a half mark comes about the time that you are going to embark on your travels, so watch what she eats and keep her healthy!! I'm so excited that you are all there for the annual Volunteer Mass, and are so intricately involved in it. You are a wonderful musician and God is definitely working through you. I'll look forward to hearing all about it next week. Will you be able to blog while you three amigos are on your journey through the country?
Stay safe, sane, and healthy and give Catlin a hug for me, please.
Peace,
Dawn
Tuan! Take care of yourself and that fever! Although I'm very glad that you've recovered as much as you have.
I'm jealous of all that choir rehearsal...
I hope that your feeling better soon. Sorry about missing your phone call last night and that I wasn't able to do anything to make you feel better. Hopefully plenty of rest, a few vitamins, a good meal and a cold washcloth is enough to make you feel better. I am praying for you daily, that you have the strength and the courage to find the best in every difficult situation you are faced with and that you are given the grace to truly see Jesus in disguise. I miss you so much!!
Love, Sara
well You never cease to amaze me with your awesome stories and really I metion your name to so many peple I talk to.
" well my friend is in india...every blog you post makes me cry with tears of joy and relief.
So last friday I interviewed two elderly people for a class and one of them is my 89 yr old g-pa.
So after working on my term project for the past week he is on my mind a lot. like how blessed I am to have him and how ungrateful i have been with my life. you know the norm of feeling guilty about stuff.
Well i sent gummie bears with briana and maybe some American junk will fix your fever? have a great weekend. We all miss you and you are doing so much for the least of god's people who have so much in hope and love if not in money and power.
Rest: you know fixes your illness. so fluids and rest. (duh ryan), tuan you have gone through this before.
dawn stone,
Thank you for your prayers. I'll do my best to keep caitlin away from any sickness. Hopefully soon we can book for some travels. I've been in and out of this "sickness" and so the gals haven't really gone to the travel, ticket, and whatnot booth yet. But I'm getting really excited about next thursday too, i'll be sure to fill you in about it. I'm not to sure if we'll be able to blog or email while we're traveling. I figure that we might run into a internet place but it won't be as often as we would here in Kolkata. So I'll be sure to journal and write about the best of the travels and spend some time on a big blog for my travels.
Oh Molly,
You would love it here with the sisters always singing. And also hearing all the volunteers sing with their different accents. It's so graceful and beautiful! It's a true blessing for me.
Sara,
no worries, even hearing your voice on the answering machine was enough to make me happy. I'm glad I was able to talk to you today though because I was still feeling like crap. So thanks for comforting me. You're amazing. I miss you.
Ryan,
Thank you thank you thank you for your many comments. I makes me happy and brings me a lot of comfort that I'm able to share my joy in serving with you back in the states. Continue to keep our health in your prayers and thank you for the gift! it made us smile!
Tuan so I downloaded the Live unplugged Jeremy Camp and I just get all teary eyed to Walk by Faith. Yesterday I went through the SEARCH CD and WOW.(who was your inspiration? michael something?)
Well anywho the walk by faith makes me think a lot of you-all in Kolkata.
that is what it is all about I think; for you, caitlin and now Briana.
You get sick, swashbuckle cockroaches the size of little people and battle satan while he
tries to get you down; while you're doing good.
some people may just pack up and leave or just come home. I probably would consider it; being a little weak. But you all walk by faith to love and overcome any struggles you-all face to love so many. Keep doing whatever it is, you do. Because it's working. prayer and whatever else is included in your day= DO IT.
I'm stressing about grades and you all are pusing high fevers and upset stomachs. I cannot compete and I so am letting go of my stupid anxieties.
Your post for the other day about the nun and something like loving the holy fam and waiting for them to call "you" to do their work.
I reflected on that last night. dude I so am anxious to see you all again and hear all about it. I just want to take out a huge loan and jump on a plane to india like NOW. well maybe next year. Most deff. If my tears pour out reading blogs surely maybe more so in india. I long for loving the needy and not just slightly needy but 3rd world country needy. Hey I'm using your blog quotes for my term paper if that's cool. it's about integrative medicine.
I got into this tangent in my Scoiology class and was like " Well my friend Tuan who is spending a month in India has found music to inspire little mal-nurished mute kids in India" "does that count for my paper?" trying to make apoint that stuff like that works and kinda bragging but it's amazing and so unselfish. {my nose is all runny and my eyes are teary crusted now.}
HAPPY HEALTHY DAY.
Honestly I miss and love you all.
God is love and you all are having so much love and dedication.
maybe you all are like him? for sure. I over power your comments but I am so excited.
Peace to you.
Ryan,
You really do make me smile. Seriously.... you need to go to India soon. Maybe you can lead next year's trip. I can be your support or voice and you can be the presences. I can help talk you through many things. I really hope I'm able to go again next year but it doesn't look like i'll be able to.. and if so It would have to be after summer school (i need to get ahead... or caught up) with school. But it's something to pray about, truly.
Honestly, remember there is much work that needs to be done throughout the world. Not only here in Kolkata. Kolkata does emerge into a full culture shock but even more it challenges every single one of your senses.
We never should be seeking to serve extraordinary but rather with great love. That could mean the love and desire to serve here in India, or the love anywhere! Your heart must always be searching to serve with love.
There's a greater poverty in the states. Being here really makes me realize that. The poverty here is materialistically. But that doesn't matter as much for the people here... although when they see a foreinger pass by some may beg. But that poverty can be quenched by the simple giving of bread or milk. The poverty we expereince in the state is deeper and it is the lack of love. Being at Daya dan, Mother House and even talking to some of the locals makes me see the immense love they all have. They live simply but their love is great. The thirst for love is greater than the thirst for water or bread. It is far harder to quench the thirst for love after someone has been so dejected or isolated from true love and how to live simply so we can truly love. This is the greatest problem in the states. The brokenness of love in families, love with friends, love for strangers, and the total dependance on self. To seek only for self and to give only selfishly. This has created our culture at home in the states a culture that needs to be rejuvinated by the selfishless love for on another, the immitation of christ's selfish love.
Begin to serve and love those at home and pray for the grace to do God's will... and if God calls you here to Inida, there's nothing that will stop it.
Take care Ryan. you're amazing
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