Thursday morning I woke up feeling a bit under the weather, and as the day wore on, I was feeling worse and worse. Friday morning I could hardly get up to do breakfast, and by lunchtime I was feeling like death warmed up, and told Tony that I just felt too sick to go on. He was aghast, as we had quite a few bookings for dinner, so I went to the Boys and begged them to stay on a few days longer, as I was not capable of doing any more work. They had a fright when they saw me, and knew that for the time I worked for them I was never sick, or expected nights off over week-ends, and although they were ready to leave the following day, they consented to stay on until I was able to work.
I thought it was just a heavy flue, but I was unable to eat, and could only drink a few drops of water. My body was aching badly, and Hannah decided to get the doctor, who gave me anti-biotics, as I had a very high fever.
Even Jo was worried, and brought me some soup, which I could not eat, and then some jelly, and toast, and Hanna brought me goodies, but I just could not eat anything. I was praying to die, I was feeling so bad, and Hannah then decided to get the doctor out again. He gave me one look and phoned for the ambulance.
The hospital was good for the first few days, as I was feeling too bad to even notice anybody, I think the medicine they gave me kept me a bit hazy.
A lot of tests were done, and it was found that I had a bad kidney infection, so I was once again put on a different medicine. Then I felt bad, as I became naucious, and my head ached like the blazes, but the doctor promised me that I would soon feel better. I did not! Then there was a great commotion, and the doctor came again, and said that I was allergic to the medicine they had given me, and I had to be put on yet another medication.
But I still could not eat. Slowly I started feeling better, and that is when I started noticing things. I was in a ward with one youngish woman, and four old ladies.
I woke up as the nurse came to check my vitals, and could not sleep again, and all because of the old ladies. At twelve sharp, the one across from me suddenly sat up, and started to put on her slippers and dressing gown. then she took her kierie (walking stick), and slowly proceeded to the toilet, just next to me. Her progress sounded like this: swish, swish, plonk, swish swish, plonk, her feet making the swish sound, and her kierie the plonk. Then she opened the toilet door, and this went: gnaaaaau-eeeeh, as it opened, then doing almost the same as it closed. I waited for her to come back, as I did not want to fall asleep, just to be wakened up. At last the door gave its screech, and I sighed thankfully, but as if on a given sign, another old lady popped straight up., and started to put on her slippers and dressing gown. Her feet made a swishing sound, but luckily she had no kierie, so I waited for the door to screech the second time, hoping to doze off then. But I was shocked when, as the door gave its opening screech, another of the old ladies popped up, and knowing that most likely the fourth on would do the same, I resigned myself to a sleepless night.
In the morning I had a high fever again, and everybody was flabbergasted about it, me having been so much better the previous day, but I bally well knew why, and when the same thing happened again that night, I decided to ask the doctor to go home when he came the next day.