Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Don't scratch your bug bites!

While in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic I got a bug bite. No biggie right? Well, I itched it. . . it got infected! I went to work on Thursday to load the show in, and do the opening night. The building didn't have air conditioning and was less than ideal. I sweated, my shorts rubbed on my bug bite that was a little infected, and then I started to feel lightheaded and nauseous. The infection was spreading!

I was taken to an emergency clinic the promoters had set up with for accidents. The doctors looked at my bug bite, felt the heat of the infection spreading in my leg and rambled in Spanish to the person who had brought me there. I was given a shot in the bum, a blood test (to make sure I didn't get poisoned or Malaria) and two antibiotics. Fab!

The next day, I woke up and felt even worse! I started throwing up, and was very weak. The idea of going to work made me want to pass out. I called again and went back to the doctor. My blood tests were fine (Yay!) but my infection was worse than they thought. I was switched antibiotics and was put on bed rest! Can you believe it???? Doctor's orders were five days in bed, no pants on, warm washcloth on my infected leg and two warm baths a day. I was horrified!

Since joining the Pooh crew, I've never missed a day of work. I've never used a sick day, and now I was using them for a bug bite!

So here I am in Arecibo, Puerto Rico still nursing my leg and hoping that I'll be well enough to go back to work this Thursday. I have so much to do and I'm so behind on the things I wanted to accomplish last week!

The crew boys have nicknamed me "Bug Bite." I know they are just teasing because it is pretty ridiculous that a bug bite laid me up for five days, but I don't want to be called "Bug Bite" for the rest of the South American tour!

In other news, we get to come home the day after Labor Day for about four weeks. This tour has been pretty miserable, and I'm ready to be in an English speaking country!