My illness, that started out as flu-like and slowly morphed into a severe lung infection/pneumonia/possible TB (!), did indeed create some stress in our family, and taught us a lot (again) about our weakness, His strength. Apparently a lesson we need to learn continually :).
When the time came for me to visit the local hospital (which we have been to many times for various reasons, sometimes just to visit people) I dreaded it. But the docs we were consulting with almost wanted to send me to the capital for tests, something I absolutely did not want to do. In fact my email back was: 'what tests should I do and can we trouble shoot it from here?' Since it was the weekend they agreed.
First at the hospital you have to register, pay a few cents and say what type of doc you need to see, then you stand in line to see the doc. The line for the doc was loooooong, so we went to a different one, and no wonder his line was short. I told him my situation. His standard Chinese was barely there, he mumbled, and told me that since I no longer had a fever I was fine. I asked him to listen to my lungs, which he barely did. I asked for the tests I wanted and he signed off on them: two types of blood tests/liver function, and a chest x-ray.
(David waiting to pay)
One of the main reasons David was with me was to help navigate the lines ( I still was pretty weak) and so that I wouldn't pass out at the blood draw (I have only done this 2x in my 20 gazillion times having blood taken, but it is always a possibility).
Before the tests, you have to go pay for the tests. We waited in line, they told us they needed one other form or name of specific test, so I kept our place in line while David hunted that down. (meanwhile, If I didn't have TB before, I do now, standing in a crowd of sick people. Oops, I am sick too, maybe I am infecting them, I forgot to wear a mask, I forgot antibacterial lotion, this is the only place we use it, oh well).
We decided that David would put my name in line at the x-ray and I would wait for him at the bloodwork center. There was no line at blood work they called my name and by the time David came up the stairs I was done, no passing out. "See, turns out I didn't need you after all." This was said with complete sarcasm because the man knows I need him, I was so thankful he was there. He was thankful he wasn't picking me up off the floor (which he has had to do before).
All tests would be returned in the afternoon, that I could handle on my own... So David and I went home, stopping first at our favorite bakery for a good cup of coffee.
This is what I saw in line in front of me:
In China (anywhere I guess), pets are like people. This did not surprise me, they walk in the grocery stores sometimes. This little guy was adorable, and very well-behaved.
As I started to feel better, I was able to enjoy a brief respite from rain and sit outside with the fam one Saturday:
I finally feel more alive and we enjoy our coffee alfresco
and our kids...
I am doing much better. It has been about six weeks and I am not sure my lungs are 100% but I am fully functioning. My voice has not quite recovered, I think there maybe some scarring from all the coughing, not sure.
We are gearing up to start local school and add in our school subjects to begin our full-fledged school year in just a few weeks.
