'Tis the Season to be Sick

Yu had to take photos to send to family in USA to tell them the doctor was helping me.

Working in retail in the USA makes it very difficult to have free time once the shop hits the holiday sales time.  The shop I work at started their holiday shopping season right after Halloween.  It has been so busy that people tend to lose sleep and then get sick.  We just finished the holiday seasonal shopping time in the USA and I am so glad too.  I have been getting sick left and right.

This made me reflect when I was sick in China. When I was in China, I had a bad cold.  When we were in Nantong, my husband said I should go to the hospital.  Since I think that a cold is no reason to go to the hospital I said I wouldn't go.  My cold got worse and my husband told me to rest after breakfast.   奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) checked on me before lunch and she began to be very worried.  She thought I had a high fever. The only reason I felt so warm to her was that I was under the big blankets people piled on top of me.

In China they believe that sweating out the cold is best. When we were in Wuxi, 舅媽 (Jiù mā [Aunt - uncle's wife]) let us barrow a foot bath machine that would heat the water.  I had to wrap up in blankets and soak my feet in very warm vinegar water. That is why I had to be under so many blankets in Nantong.

Once 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) thought I had a bad fever she quickly yelled for 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom - my mother-in-law wanted me to call her this]) and my老公 ( lǎo gōng [husband]).  You could hear her yell for them as she left the house and went outside to the kitchen and then the fields.  老公 ( Lǎo gōng [husband]) came quickly to check on me.  He told me that he thinks I should go to the hospital and I told him no, it wasn't bad enough to go tot he hospital.  It was time for lunch as well so he helped me to the kitchen to get some food. The whole time in the kitchen I had 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom]) checking my fever using her hands on my forehead.  She would talk to 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) about it.  Once I had enough of food I went back to bed.  老公 ( Lǎo gōng [husband]) told me that the doctor is coming to see me. He told me to be in the front bedroom.  

Once the doctor came he told everyone that I didn't have a fever.  Ha, I knew it but of course  奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) was convinced I had one.  She spent time praying to her gods.  She was so worried. 爷爷 (Yéyé [Grandpa]) was out working in the field with a friend or neighbor.  A neighbor granny came to check on me.  She was worried because she saw the doctor drive up to the house.  The doctor had given me medication through an IV. It was a different experience having a house-call from a doctor.  In the USA it is not very common to have a doctor come to the house.  The coat rack was used to hold up the IV liquids to help the flow of fluids.  After the doctor was done giving me the medication he put fluids on my IV.  After he left I was trying to rest.  The neighbor granny had a dog that came to check on me too.  He would come right up by the bed to tap my forehead with it's nose. 

After what seemed like a few minutes of sleep 爷爷 (Yéyé [Grandpa]) and his friend came to check on me.  He was happy to see color back into my face.  Once he knew I was doing well he went back out with his friend. 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) came to see me and was so happy when she saw my face was more lively.  She gave me a good luck charm and 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom]) did too.  After feeling more alive I was able to go visit the other half of the family, 爸爸 (Bà ba [Dad]) and his family.


Everyone should try to stay healthy when it is cold and flu season.  Sometimes there are different ways to help people feel better, try them.  Also, sometimes it is better to see the doctor before your sickness gets out of hand, even if you don't think it is that bad.

Chinese words used today:

• 奶奶  -- Nǎinai  = Grandma
•  爷爷 -- Yéyé  = Grandpa
•  妈妈 -- Māmā  = Mom  (There is a special word for mother-in-law but mine wants me to call her mom and use this Chinese word -- always check to see which one is okay to use)
•  老公  -- Lǎo gōng = husband
•  舅媽  -- Jiù mā = Aunt - uncle's wife
•  爸爸  -- Bà ba  = Dad