Toe Infection

I do not know how this major event that happened in Kerala slipped my mind!!!

So, before we left for Kerala my big toe on my left foot became sore and red...I stubbed it somewhere on something and noticed one day that it was bleeding.  With all the crap on the streets of India, any number of things could have gotten in there. I would have just ignored it, but the fact that we are going to the Himalayas for 10 days was weighing on my mind.  I did not have the luxury of having a toe infection while hiking for 10 days...so, I decided that going to the doctor once I reached Kerala was the best idea.

After our 12 hour train ride...where I slept on the floor until 3:30am when a man tapped me and told me he was getting off the train so I could use his seat, we got to the airport and reached Trivandrum (very close to the most southern tip of India).  Hannah and I slept for the rest of the afternoon and evening after that night in a packed train with people who do not know what deodorant is used for...

So, we decided for the first day that we would shop around and just walk around the city.  The first thing on our agenda, though, was Geetha Hospital.

We walk in, the receptionist asked my name and I spelled it out for him, which was translated into Nikhil LeGare.  After about less than a minute I was called to see the doctor.  I sat down, showed him my toe.  He asked if it was "paining"and of course I confirmed, that yes, indeed, it was paining.  He pressed down on my toe, which hurt, and he started writing a prescription for me.  He wrote 3 separate prescriptions and sent me to the "Treatment Room".  I wish I could hook up my camera to this computer so I could upload a picture of the room!  It was very small with one examination table.  I hopped up on there and told Hannah and Mary Beth that they could not leave me alone in that room.
I freaked when I saw a needle...They then told me to lay down and turn over...I tried to protest and asked what the needle was for (I was nervous).  They told me it was a tetanus booster and they would not be able to put it in my arm...soooo I had to roll over and I clenched Hannah's hand as they injected me.  I started laughing because of the whole situation and they thought I was crying..

I got my "tablets"after that - an anti-biotic, some pills in case the anti-biotic made my stomach feel a little woozy, and then some casual pain killers.  My toe was really not "paining"THAT bad that I felt the need to take pain killers - but since they do not use labels on the medication, I had to just take all 3 pills for 3 consecutive days. 

I know you would be happy to know that I am 100% cured of my toe infection. The best part about that hospital visit was that 1. It lasted for no more than 20 minutes. and 2. It cost me 230 rupees (divide that by 49 and you get a grand total of $4.69.)