Today was the big day, I was on my way home. Timing was perfect, I would make it just in time to celebrate the 4th with my family. I was really looking forward to the cookouts and fun....except I woke up in my hostal with nausea. I am rarely sick, but I recognized this feeling from earlier in my trip when I had altitude sickness. Except this time the nausea came with vomiting. I woke from my sleep and tried to run to the bathroom, but I didn't make it. I found myself in the door way of my room throwing up last night's dinner. Gross! I'm not sure what made me sick, it could have been the tomatoes I ate because I was sure they were okay because they were peeled. It could have been my icy drink that I assumed was made using filtered water....whatever happened I was so sick.
I dragged around getting ready and tried to make my flight. I made it to the airport, but as soon as I walked through the door I had to sit down in the middle of the floor and wait for someone to come and help me. Finally the doctor came and gave me a pill and told me I had to eat. Was she crazy? I didn't want to put anything in my mouth! The last time I put something in my mouth, namely my tooth brush, I just threw up again. Still, I tried to have crackers and water. I preceded to the gate in a wheel chair and hoped that as time passed I would get better, but I only got worse. I tried to board the plane, but I had to get off because the airport doctor said that if I couldn't eat I couldn't fly. At this point, I didn't even care if I missed my flight, I just wanted a bed. So I was escorted off of the plane and questioned and searched by the police (????) before I was rolled off to the taxi to take me back to the hostal where I stayed last night. I considered going to the hospital, but I thought that if I could just lay down I would be better.
Wow...what a way to end my trip in Ecuador! As bad as it was to be sick and miss my flight, I know that God was with me. Here are some ways I know:
1) My parents, friends, and church family was praying for me. When I realized I was sick I messaged a couple of friends who got our church to pray for me. It was so great to have that support and love. Even though I was physically alone I knew God was with me because of their prayers.
2) The hostal (which only costs $7.00 per night) took care of me, beyond what they had to do. It was like they were angels in the right place at the right time to help me get through this. The first employee at the hostal cleaned my vomit from the floor! What? I didn't think that anyone cleaned vomit, except parents and school janitors. But this man without hesitation cleaned up my vomit and would not let me help. I was sure that I would have to do that myself, but he extended that grace toward me. The 2nd employee who was at the hostal offered to get me medicine from the pharmacy and when I returned to the hostal from the airport he made room for me in the hostal even though it was technically all booked. They both carried my bags without question and helped me find an atm when I needed cash. Getting through this day would have been so much more difficult had it not been for these angels who took care of me.
3) The man who rolled me around in the wheel chair at the airport was also like an angel. While I was sick at the airport and trying to make it onto my flight I really needed help. The doctor came, but she left. But this man stayed with me. He rolled me around, carried my bag, took me to the bathroom when I needed to go, and told the flight attendants that I was not doing well. I was really grateful for his presence.
5) My parents took care of my travel arrangements. When I returned to the hostal, I really needed to just lay down, but I also really needed get my travel plans in order since I had missed my flight and I had another flight waiting on my in NY to NC. My parents took care of all of this. They called the airlines, made the plans, bought the tickets, made plans to meet me in Maryland because they could not find a flight to NC, and bought a hotel room for the night. Not to mention that my fee for changing my flight from Quito went from $500 to $84 $0.
4)I did not feel better exactly when I wanted to, but I felt better eventually. I did not have to be this way. I could have gotten sicker and sicker, but instead I got better and better and am able to go home.
Ahhhh now I am in the airport waiting for my flight and excited that I can go home!
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