We didn't make it to Koblenz this weekend. Unfortunately Skye got really sick! He must have caught some 24 hour bug/virus. He started violently throwing up in the middle of the night on Friday and all day on Saturday. We had thought about going to Koblenz today but decided it would be a bad idea since he will be leaving town for a Fulbright conference tomorrow. It would be horrible to be sick for that type of trip. So we'll go to Koblenz next weekend, which also happens to be Skye's birthday weekend! I have mixed feelings about Skye's birthday, I'll get into that later.
So yesterday was a little scary for me. Skye was ridiculously sick, he couldn't keep anything down, and could barely walk without having to puke. He finally got up midday and was able to sit in the recliner. I made him a piece of dry toast and gave him some juice. He kept it down for about 30 or 40 minutes. At that point, he had thrown up 5 or 6 times violently since 2am. So I started thinking we needed to find a doctor. This was a problem for several reasons. We walk or take the train everywhere here. Skye could barely walk to the bathroom, there was no way I was getting him to a train, not to mention the fact that you shouldn't put that sick of a person on a crowded train for both of their sakes. So I didn't know how I would get him to a doctor. I don't even know where a doctor is in Cologne, and it was Saturday afternoon. Germans don't work much, so I was a little worried they would all be closed. I don't know if they have walk in clinics here, and I didn't want to take him to the ER. We also don't have any sort of insurance card yet (that type of information is what this Fulbright conference will cover, because we do get insurance through the Fulbright). I would have had to figure all this out not being able to speak German. A lot of people speak English, but most of it is broken. It would have been a very difficult situation. So I was starting to freak out a little. But then Skye slept some more, took a migraine med (that was part of the problem too) that is made to dissolve in your mouth to specifically not upset your stomach. Once his headache went away he felt a little better, still nauseous but better. A while later he started feeling hungry which was a good sign so I got him some chx noodle soup, applesauce and powerade. He was able to keep it all down and by the end of the evening was wanting to eat things like chips! But don't worry, I didn't let him. So this morning he was feeling about 85% so we went to church and he has been fine all day. So that's a praise! Anyways, it was a yucky weekend, but hey, it happens. At least he isn't sick for this Fulbright trip.
I was originally going to go with him to the conference in Göttingen, it's about a 4 and a half hour train ride. My hotel and food and everything would have been paid for, and I could have met some of the other Fulbright people (one is a girl living in Cologne, which is promising for making friends!). But alas, I am not one to miss class. It would be 9 HOURS of class that I would be missing. I'd be so lost when I got back it would be horrible. But now that it's the night before Skye leaves, I am so mad at myself! I don't care about class! I just want to go with him! I don't want to be all alone here! I'm not taking the class for a grade, so I should have just gone. I do however, want to learn German. So ugh. I'm a little depressed about it. I plan to comfort myself with some haribos tomorrow.
On a more German note, I have really been picking up a lot of German! I say a lot, but it's really nothing. I'm just getting used to hearing it and am able to figure out what people are saying to me. Twice yesterday, when I went to the store for my sicky husband, people were talking to me and though I wasn't able to really say anything to them, I knew what they were saying to me. Body language goes a long way! But I am picking up a lot of vocab. And at church this morning I heard many familiar words, not enough to understand what he was saying, but many words still! Since I have no idea what is going on at church, I think I'm going to start bringing paper and writing down all the German words I recognize. Maybe in a few weeks I can piece together what the sermon is about!
Our evening out with our new friends, George and Barbara (no, not the former senior Bush!) went very well. They are a lot of fun and nice and speak very good English. Well, George is from the states, but Barbara is from a small village near here. I also got to practice some of my German with them, and some strangers that sat with us. So it was a nice evening. They have only lived here for a year, so they know their way around, but they are still on the hunt for friends, which is great for us! I'm sure we'll hang out a lot more. And they even said I could cut their hair! What I will charge, I have no idea. I don't know what haircut prices are like here! I like to stay somewhere between giving them a great deal, but still make money.
I also should mention the pretzel. In Germany the little hard crunchy pretzels that you would buy in a bag, like Rold Gold, are called saltzstenger. But a big soft warm pretzel is a Brezel (all nouns in German are capitalized, that has been hard to get used to). They are usually SOOOO good here! No cheese sauce, which I think is sad. But normally they're good enough to stand on their own. They are baked in such a way that the outside is thin and crispy and has a flavor sort of like a small crunchy rold gold. but, then the middle is extremely soft and warm and bready and so so so good! It's crazy, I don't know how they get them to be like that. Anyways, we got one after church today and the bakery that we went to bakes them fresh all day, so you get them while they're still hot. I have been craving it since I finished it. It was amazing! and only 65 cents! We knew some Americans were in front of us in line because we heard the guy say, no, sorry, no cheese sauce! haha. So that's very American, and while, yes, it is quite unhealthy, it's also quite brilliant and delicious!
The reason I have mixed feelings about Skye's birthday is because we always have a huge party and I take him out to dinner and buy him a gift. But I have no money to buy him a gift! I have no income! It's a very weird feeling to use his own money to buy him a gift. I know it's not really like that, his money is our money, but still. Usually I have tips and everything and I can buy him whatever I want without him knowing. I also don't have the tools to bake him a cake! There are no baking tools in Klaus's apartment whatsoever! he has one pan type thing that is basically a cookie sheet. I suppose I could make cookies...but anyways, it will be weird this year. I don't feel like I can do anything special. I'll have to get really creative!
Who knew I could get such a long blog out of such an event-less weekend!
OH YEAH GUESS WHAT? I have been here officially one month today!!!! nuts!
Wow, sorry to hear about skye's sickness! Yay for your new friends and your getting used to hearing the language. That rocks. Could u make a large cookie, perhaps, for skyes bday? I was wondering what you guys would do. That's cool the trip will get to be on his bday :) oh I heard it's like some special year, like 175th or something, of Oktoberfest there. Wel in Germany. Not exactly sure the details or where the big bash would be. I'm sure there are oktoberfests everywhere there. But anyway, will you guys be doing any Oktoberfest participation?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the language Janna; it'll all click just all of a sudden in about a month. Being immersed in the language like this is the best thing you can do!
ReplyDeleteGlad Skye's feeling better!