On Being Sick

(Part of an email I wrote to Evan last night:)

Evan,

If you can believe it, I'm sick. I don't think I'm actually "sick," just sick to my stomach I think because of something I ate. Because of that, I felt so alone in Salzburg on Saturday! I walked around for hours, and finally decided to leave after I still felt so sick to my stomach. I ended up going to bed Saturday night before 6pm, explaining to my relatives that I was sick. I wanted to talk to someone in English about the problem. I wanted you to be there to hold my hand like last time I was sick.

I woke up around 1AM Sunday morning and after laying there for a few hours, I threw up amid having diarrhea still there from the day before. (Funny thing to say here is that diarrhea in German is Durchfall, meaning through fall). Because of how I was (and still am) feeling, I decided to leave my relatives' house much earlier yesterday, hardly daring to think about what it would feel like to travel and get on and off trains for 4+ hours.

But, despite being sick, I willed myself and prayed that I'd make it okay without throwing up in public. And, I made it back to safely! I brought a plastic sack along in my purse with me just in case I was feeling really badly on the train. Thank goodness, I didn't have to use it! I still feel terrible and hope that I can sleep some. The only thing I've dared to eat today was a little pretzel stick and drink a little bit of water.

By the way... did I mention that I miss you? I had thoughts of you all. day. long. Thinking of you while I rode on the train was the only thing that helped me feel better. I miss you and can't wait to see you again!

Love,
Sarah