Return to Reality and Illness
(Friday, 16 October 2009) Written by Keith Rhoades
Well, after I last wrote...the hardest and worst part of the trip happened.   I had to get up at 5 am and when I woke up I shivering and chilled and feverish.   I had to get off the boat and on to my shuttle to the airport...on the way to the airport I started breaking out in a sweat and then felt a bit better.   My flight left at 10:20 and by the time I got to Amsterdam I was seriously delirious, weak, achey, sweaty, hot and cold, shivering and wasn't sure if I could make the rest of the journey home...I didn't know what to do.  I really felt like I was going to pass out.
 
I got on the next plane and explained to the flight attendant I didn't feel well and didn't know what do to.  She said "maybe you have H1N1"  just rest on the flight.   It was 9 1/2 hours of hell...I had a fever, was throwing up in the bathroom, and thought we were never going to get to Memphis.
 
Finally made it to Memphis and had to pick up my luggage for customs.  While I did that I got out my thermometers and took my temp and it was 102.  I thought I was going to collapse going through customs and of course as is always the case I got stopped..I have more problems getting back into the USA than any other country.  The customs guy pulled me aside and asked me a bunch of questions and asked if I was on any drugs and then asked to go through my suitcase.  I was a bit worried because I had way over my limit on cigs but I didn't care what happened at that point.  They went through all my luggage..no comment on the cigs and then let me go on my way.  I then got on the next flight from Memphis to LAX for another 3 hours and then took a cab home.  By the time I got home I just collapsed.
 
Today I went to urgent care fearing I had H1N1 but the doctor said I probably have some stomach virus but they took some samples to make sure I don't have a bacteria or parasite. 
 
I'm bummed the trip had to end this way...but if I was going to get sick I am glad it was in the last hours as the rest of the trip was perfect.
 
Now I have two days to recooperate and prepare for reentry into the world
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