Problems in Papudo

As Johners cousin Ellie wasn´t picking me up till that evening, I got up really early to go sightseeing in nearby Vina del Mar. I went to two castles, the natural history museum, Easter Island museum, a photograhy exhibition and an art exhibition, and I even fitted in a visit to the casino which was full of people on the slots at lunchtime, and the closest Ive come to Vegas. After that I started to feel unwell. Maybe Id overdone it.

My throat went from being moderatly sore to pure agony every time I swallowed in the space of half an hour. I met Ellie and her Chilean husband Cali, and not wanting to start moaning straight away I suffered in silence, trying to make polite coversation until we reached their town Papudo about an hour away. We stopped at the local pharmacy and I bought spray, Ibruprofen, and some other tablets to reduce the ache in my muscles. I was praying I wasn´t getting the flu.

Back at theirs I was feeling like crap. Ellie cooked a gorgeous traditional pumpkin stew. I couldn´t hardly eat. I did my best not wanting to be rude and then excused myself to go to bed as I now had a fever. She kindly gave me honey and lemon but it was excruciating to drink, even though I knew it would help. I knew Id made a terrible first impression. I was embarrased for myself and also for Johnner, but hoped to rectify it the next day. Feeling worse still, like none of the drugs Id bought were working, I started taking the antibiotic augmentin that Id brought with me. That was surely going to knock this thing on the head, I thought...until I woke up at 2am. I had a fever, my forehead was roasting but my body was freezing. Every muscle in my body ached. The worst bit by far was the fact that every time I swallowed I was in excruciating pain. I knew there was something seriously wrong but I didn´t know what the best course of action was.I decided Id take another round of all the drugs and wait till morning and then get Ellie or Cali to bring me to the doctor. The next 5 hours were the worst Ive ever experienced. Swallowing was so painful, I developed a way of retaining the salivia in my mouth, so I only had to swallow about half as much as normal . I started having nightmares with my eyes open. At 7am, I couldn´t take it any more. Exhausted from no sleep and slightly delirious I went into their room. I burst into tears because the pain was so bad. Ellie tucked me back up in bed to sleep with another honey and lemon as it was too early for the medic. She assured me the drugs would work if I gave them time. I knew what she was saying made sense-after all it was only a sore throat. Her comforting calmed me down but I just wanted Niamh or the girls to be there as they normally would, when I am sick.

I popped some more pills and finally dozed off for a few hours. When I woke in the morning, I was covered in sweat, but the pain in my throat had subsided slightly. It was gorgeous day and Ellie suggested I walk with her along the beach to get the papers. Papudo is by far the nicest place Ive been (much better than even Valpariso). Its a gorgeous beach town that is like paradise but I just couldn´t enjoy it. While walking I realised how tired I was, as I could barely climb the steps off the beach.

That afternoon we went to a gorgeous fish restaurant for lunch. I tried the best fish soup Ive ever had (even better than in Tererife) but couldn´t even finish half of it because my throat was still i bits. Even making conversation was proving impossible as I kept having to stop and wince with the pain. On the way home, I started crying again cause of the pain so we went to the nearest clinic/hospital. I couldn´t face another night like the previous and I started crying again when the doctor examined me. Thankfully Ellie was able to translate all the tricky words. Turns out I had a massive ball of puss (delightful I know) in my mouth and it was blocking my air passage. The reason the augmentin wasn´t working was because it was too mild for my advanced infection. I got a jab in the ass and was hooked up to a drip. God knows what they gave me but I didn´t care. I was allowed to go home late that night to sleep on the condition that I returned the next morning. If things hadn´t improved then, I was to be hospitalised. First another trip to the 24hr, thank god, pharmacy to buy more prescribed drugs including a decent painkiller. I slept terribly but because the pain of swallowing had been reduced somewhat, sleeping was at least possible for periods.

I felt so much better when I woke. The doctor said my condition had improved, thankfully, and after a day of relaxing, I was finally able to make some conversation to my hosts. They are such interesting people, snowbaord instuctors for 4 months of the year, and artists for the rest, and thats not even the half of it. God only knows what they made of me. I wanted so much for them to like me but I didn´t have the energy. Still, we had a nice evening together.

On one hand it was terrible that I had been sick the whole time I stayed with them, on the other, the timing was a total blessing. I dont know what I would have done if I had been by myself in a hostel. I´ll have to show them a good time when they are in Ireland next.

Im in La Serena now, still too tired to do anything but I have a private room with cable tv in it that has loads of American movies and sitcoms, so Im a happy chappy.