A/N: This story is based off my day. Want to know what I did yesterday? Read this! Caution: if you are a sympathetic vomiter, you may want to skip through some parts at the beginning. Don't worry, I didn't make it to detailed.
Elphaba woke up that morning sick to her stomach. She had a rough night. First she tossed and turned in desperation for a comfortable position. Finally, she fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
"Elphie," the blond roommate greeted her, "I'm off to brunch now, will you be ready soon?"
The green girl simply shook her head. "I'm not feeling good right now" she replied, "I may just sleep and have something later."
Her roommate nodded then left.
Elphaba turned back into her bed, fluffing up her pillow to make herself more comfortable. She never fell back asleep as she intended. Rather, she drifted in and out of a shallow rest. She experienced nausea and, when she went to the bathroom, had diarrea. She didn't notice the hour had passed until Galinda returned.
"Feeling any better?" inquired Galinda.
Again Elphaba replied in the negative. "Do you have anything with lots of vitamin C in it?"
Galinda shrugged: "Got some orange juice."
Elphaba grinned. "That'll do." Her roommate soon returned with a tall glass of juice. Elphaba took a few sips. Placing the glass on her bedside table, she then turned back into her bed.
Galinda could see that her friend wasn't feeling well so she tried her best to be quiet.
Some hours passed and Elphaba still didn't get the rest she desired. She continued to slowly drink the juice but it didn't seem to be doing any good. As she rolled over, there was a knock on the door. Galinda quickly ran over to answer. Before the guests could say anything, Galinda told them to be quiet as Elphaba was trying to rest.
From their voices, Elphaba could see that Ryck and Airika had stopped by.
"You've been sick the past few days haven't you, Airika?" asked Galinda.
The other girl nodded. "Though I'm feeling a lot better now. I haven't thrown up in a few hours. I think I'm almost through it."
"We were just heading out" said Ryck, "Do you need anything?"
"I think we're good" replied Galinda.
Elphaba listened as the conversation progressed. She didn't mind having visitors; just now wasn't a good time. Suddenly, she felt an urge building up inside of her. She coughed to find liquid filling her mouth. Springing out of bed, she attempted to proceed to the nearest garbage can only to fall to her hands and knees a few feet from her bed. The orange juice spewed onto the carpet. She felt another round quickly coming and, soon, that came out as well.
Ryck, Airika and Galinda make their way into the hall. Ryck, feeling guilty for his actions, apologized for their abandonment. Between vomits, Elphaba raised her and and said that she understood.
Galinda ran down the hall to the Resident Assistant's room and knocked on the door. "Come quickly," she said when the door opened, "Elphaba is vommiting."
Sammy followed Galinda back to the room. Making sure that Elphaba was okay, she instructed the green girl to go and wash her face and rise her mouth out. While Elphaba was in the bathroom cleaning up, Sammy and Galinda got to work cleaning out the carpet.
"Get your air conditioning going," instructed Sammy, "That should help with the smell and make it easier to clean up."
As the last of the mess was finished, Elphaba emerged from the bathroom. Sammy told her to drink lots of water and if she got worse to let her know. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you" she said, "Just get some rest." The then left to report Elphaba's illness to the Resident Director.
As Elphaba climbed back into bed, Ryck and Airika baid their farewells and good wishes to Elphaba. Galinda announced that she was off to the library so it would be quiet for Elphaba. Soon, the green girl was alone once again in her room.
A few short hours passed and Sammy passed by to check up on her. "You feeling any aches?" she asked.
"Just a little bit" was the weak response.
Sammy noticed the wet marks on Elphaba's shirt. "Is it cold enough in here for you?"
"I think so."
The other then felt her forehead. "You feel like you're running a fever. Stay put, I'll get you some Tylenol it will also act as a pain revealer."
Elphaba tried to remain comfortable and soon Sammy was back. She handed Elphaba two small pills which were quickly swallowed. Sammy then left once again leaving Elphaba alone. She turned on her side and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
She awoke a few hours later feeling refreshed. Galinda still wasn't back; probably for the better.
Again she tossed and turned. For some reason, her room felt extremely cold. With every small movement she made, her body responded in severe shivering. She wrapped herself tighter in her blankets to try to stay warm but to no avail. Thinking the air conditioner was too high, she got up to change it. No sooner had she gotten to her feet did a head ache occur. She turned off the unit then returned to her bed.
Then it hit her: that trip to the bathroom. No sooner had she flushed the toilet did she begin to trow up for a second time. This round of hurling had in interesting flavor and color to it. After flushing it down, she made her way to Sammy's room.
"Wow," commented Sammy, "you don't look to good."
"I threw up again."
"Not on the carpet, I hope."
Elphaba chuckled lightly: "No, I made the toilet this time. The funny thing was, it looked and tasted like lemonade."
Sammy frowned: "But you didn't have lemonade, did you?"
Elphaba only shook her head.
The Resident Assistant bit her lip. "Well, we better find you something before you dehydrate. I got some Oz-ade." She pulled it out of her fridge and handed it to Elphaba. "Take in small sips at five minute intervals. I don't want you throwing this up as well."
Elphaba thanked her then returned to her room. She watched the clock closely sure to take those sips and try to hold it down.
Galinda retured to the room as it began to grow dark outside. "Feeling any better?" she asked.
"No" the other moaned. She turned to face Galinda who abruptly gasped. "You really don't look that good."
"And I feel worse."
"Has Sammy been in to see you?"
Elphaba nodded. "I just saw her a moment ago. I threw up again, so watch ourself in the bathroom."
"How's your stomach?"
"Queasy."
"I got some medicine for that. Do you want to try it?"
"Anything will be an improvement."
Galinda handed her two large pink pills.
Elphaba chuckled lightly. "If I didn't know any better," she said, "I would have sworn you designed these things."
"Just take them" smiled the blond as she placed a trash can closer to Elphaba's bed.
"What's that for?" asked Elphaba.
"Just in case you throw up again."
Elphaba put a pill in her mouth and drank down a little fluid. But a few seconds later, she was coughing it all back up into the trash.
"Can't you keep anything down?" asked Galinda.
Elphaba only nodded as she continued to cough up.
There was another knock at the door. This time it was Fiyero who was there. "Hey," he greeted them, "I heard Elphaba wasn't doing to good."
"Got that right" came a groan from the green girl.
"Whoa, Elphaba!" cried Galinda, "You're green!"
Elphaba gave her a glaring stare. "What do you mean? I've always been green."
"I know" Galinda shook her head, "But I mean you're a sickly green."
"She's right" replied Fiyero, "Do you need to go to the hospital? I'll take you, if you wish."
Elphaba shrugged: "I don't know what I wanna do."
The trio were soon joined by Sammy and the Resident Director, Fayth. In hand, Fayth had saltine crackers and a bottle of ginger ale. Sammy carried with her a thermometer which she placed in Elphaba's mouth.
Fayth opened the bottle and handed it to Elphaba along with two crackers. "These should help settle your stomach" she said, "Do you want to go to the hospital?"
When Sammy removed the thermometer, Elphaba took a few sips of the drink. "It's been all day" she considered, "Okay, that's probably the best thing to do now."
Fayth nodded. "You go ahead with Fiyero and I'll be right behind you."
Elphaba gathered her jacket and drinks then joined Galinda and Fiyero to his carriage. Galinda and Fiyero took one seat leaving Elphaba with a full one to stretch out on.
It was a short ride to the hospital. Fiyero and Galinda sat in the waiting area as Elphaba filled out the paperwork.
Fayth arrived and sat in the waiting room as well until everything was set.
As Elphaba finished with her forms, a nurse came from behind two large doors and called for her. Elphaba followed the nurse down the long hallways to the examining room. Having her sit upon the bed, the nurse then proceeded to check Elphaba's blood pressure, temperature, lungs and heart. The nurse found something quite alarming.
"Have you ever felt your heart racing?" she asked.
Elphaba shook her head.
The nurse checked again. "Your heart is racing. You don't feel that?"
Again, Elphaba shook her head.
The nurse handed her a gown and cup. "I'm gonna need you to put this on then give me a urin sample." She instructed Elphaba to the bathroom and the green girl quickly left.
When she returned, Elphaba found another nurse waiting for her. She helped her into the gown then made her comfortable on the bed. She then grabbed three wires and proceeded to attach them to the green girl's chest. Elphaba soon realized that she was being hooked up to the heart monitor. The nurse then started to take blood samples. Knowing that this could take a while, Elphaba took some time to examine the room.
As the nurse was finishing, the first nurse walked in. "Comfortable?" she asked.
Elphaba only shrugged. "Sorry you don't have much of a sample" she said, pointing to the small amount of yellow fluid in the container.
The nurse smiled. "You're probably dehydrated." She then began to preform a test which Elphaba wasn't sure what it was only that it involved stickers. Then nurse then tested her blood sugur. When she was done, she picked up the container: "This is enough anyway." She then left to take the sample to the lab.
No sooner had the nurse left did the doctor appear. He was an older man and was quite polite. He touched Elphaba's throat and stomach, looking for pressure points.
"What was the highest temperature you had at home?" he asked.
"We only measured it once" was the reply, "and it was a hundred."
"We'll go with ours then," he wrote on his tablet, "a hundred and one point six."
He then continued to aske his questions then prepared to leave. "Sit tight" he told Elphaba, "It'll probably be two hours." Before he left, he turned to the nurse and said: "I want two blood cultures."
Upon hearing this, Elphaba closed her eyes and leaned back: "Great."
When the nurse had gathered the blood she needed, she put up the rails on the bed and handed Elphaba the call button. "Will you be needing anything now?" she asked.
Elphaba just shook her head. "I think I'm okay."
The nurse smiled: "If you need anything, just let me know." She then left Elphaba alone in the room.
Elphaba thought she'd go mad. The heart monitor machine was beeping like crazy every few seconds. She glanced over at it. "125" shone brightly on its display. "Wonder what that means."
A man soon appeared in the doorway. "Hello," he greeted the patient, "I'll be your nurse today."
As he approached Elphaba could see that on his tray he carried two large IV bags and two small bottles. She watched as he filled a needle with the fluid from one of the bottles.
"This is a medicine for nasea" he explained.
"Is it to make me or to prevent me nauseous?"
He smiled as he injected it into her arm: "To prevent." He then refilled the needle using the other bottle. Injecting it he said: "This is the same stuff. You're getting a double dose."
Elphaba raised her eyebrows: "Cool."
The nurse then hooked Elphaba up to the IV. "The doctor thought you might be dehydrated."
Elphaba smiled as she recalled her day. "I'd belive it."
"Do you want any of your friends to come in?" he asked as he prepared to leave.
"Uh, you can ask Fiyero Tiggular" was the reply, "My other friend doesn't quite like hospitals."
He nodded then left.
Elphaba didn't find herself alone for long. Fiyero's figure was soon seen in the shadows. As he entered the room, he couldn't help but comment on Elphaba's condition yet again.
"What's all this?" he asked.
Elphaba shrugged: "Doctor thought I was dehydrated."
"So, uh, do you know how long you're gonna be here?"
"Doctor said about two hours."
"Great."
"Is Fayth still here?"
"No, she left; had stuff to attend to on campus." He noticed the heart rate monitor. "Wow, what's up with your heart rate?"
Elphaba turned to the monitor. It now showed "117." "Nurse said my heart was racing" she replied.
"Dude, mine's usually in the low 70's!"
Elphaba just smiled.
As the two talked, the nurse came in with another little bottle. He told her that it was a pain killer and she would experience some dizziness because of it.
"I really don't care" she told him, "I've been feeling better since you hooked me up to this thing." She pointed to the IV's. "A little dizziness is welcomed compared to my day."
The drug took affect rather quickly. Almost instantly, she began to feel the dizziness. Luckily, though, it was quite mild and left her rather tired. Fiyero soon left to rejoin Galinda in the lobby and Elphaba continued to look around occasionally glancing at the heart monitor. Placing the pillow behind her head, she fell into a light sleep.
"How is she?" asked Galinda.
"I don't know" was the reply, "She doesn't know what's going on and it may be several hours before we can get out of here."
"Is she looking any better?"
"A little bit. It was funny earlier. There she is lying in bed just chilling; the nurse walks in and gives her some medicine. Her heart rate jumps from 117 to 120!"
"That's her resting heart rate?" Galinda asked, concerned.
"Last I saw, something like that."
Elphaba awoke to the beeping of the IV machine. The nurse ran in and changed the bags. "Feeling any better?" he asked.
Elphaba gave a sleepy nod.
He then her heart rate. It now read "97." "It's getting lower."
"I once saw it dip down to the 80's."
"That's what we're aiming for."
Finding herself alone again, Elphaba closed her eyes and smiled. She was feeling much better. No nasea, no aches or pains, no urges to use the bathroom. Finally, she was beginning to feel hydrated. For once in that whole day she felt as if she was in the peak of health.
Elphaba was delighted when the doctor finally returned with his findings. "Looks like you got a bacterial infection" he said, "I'm prescribing you with a basic antibody which you are to take until finished, even if you are feeling better. I also writing you up for two more medications which you can take as needed. One is for your nasea, the other for diarrhea. For the next two days you are not to eat any dairy or red meats. I am also putting you on a BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast for the next two days."
Elphaba nodded that she understood.
"You just finish off your second bag and you can be on your way" he finished.
Elphaba thanked the doctor and he left.
"How much longer is it going to be?" asked Fiyero when he returned for another visit.
"Just gotta finish off this bag."
"Good" he yawned, "Galinda's asleep in the lobby and I actually slept myself."
"Why don't you go back there and join her?" suggested Elphaba, "I'll wake you guys when I'm done."
Fiyero yawned again then returned to where Galinda was.
Elphaba seized this time to get in some shut eye as well. Readjusting her pillow, she gradually wandered off into a light sleep.
It was almost an hour later when the nurse reappeared. He re-explained to her the medication she was to take. He took her blood pressure and temperature one last time then proceeded to sign her release forms. He then took out the IV and unhooked her from the heart rate monitor. He bid her farewell then returned to his other patients.
Elphaba put her clothes back on and gathered her things. On the way out, she glanced at the clock: four am. Remembering that they arrived sometime around eleven thirty, she tried to calculate how long they had been there.
As she reached the lobby, Elphaba could see Galinda and Fiyero curled up in their seats fast asleep. She would have gone ahead and woken them up but she had to use the bathroom first. She never thought there would be a time where she would whole-heartedly welcome that feeling. She guessed that all that fluid pumped into her was actually going through.
Returning from the bathroom, she gently shook Galinda's shoulder. The blond stirred a bit before opening her eyes.
"I'm out" whispered Elphaba.
Galinda affixed her eyes on her roommate. "What's wrong?"
"Bacterial infection" she held up her papers, "I got my prescriptions and discharge papers so I'm ready to get out of here." She turned to Fiyero and shook his shoulder. "Comeon, Fiyero, we can leave now."
The boy sat up and stretched. "Okay" he yawned.
It was a short ride back to campus. Everyone was tired with the exception of Elphaba. Fiyero dropped the girls off at their dorm and bid them a good night. As they reached their room, Elphaba found a note from Sammy telling her to get better soon. Elphaba smiled at the thought.
Once inside her room, Galinda wasted no time to plop onto her bed and snuggle beneath its covers. She had had a long day and wasted no time in getting some proper sleep.
Elphaba however, still riding the high of the medications, stayed awake. She wanted to take full advantage of the hospital trip. She read through her packet of the different medications she would be taking and the conditions she had.
Settling down onto her bed, she grabbed her diary where she wrote down everything that had happened. Like most days of her life, this is one she didn't want to forget.
A/N: So that's what I'm dealing with right now. If you don't hear anything from me for a while it may be because I'm probably in bed trying to get over this thing. Upside: the doctor said it's most likely not contagious (that means good news for my roommates and neighbors!)
Here's till next time when, hopefully, I'm feeling better.