Please, remember me, finally, and all my up-hill clawing...

Well, friends, it turns out that Lindsey and I are infected with salmonella. We found this out only because of my sister's persistence; she called the hospital this morning. We're both still exhibiting symptoms and suffering mild to moderate and occasionally severe pain, so she wanted to know if there was anything the doctor could give us to at least ease things until the "virus" had run its course. They told us they weren't allowed to dispense medical advice over the phone, then called back 15 minutes later to say that our cultures showed we had salmonella and they'd call in an antibiotic. Great.

So now, finally, we may be on the road to recovery. Now, many people actually do go through this without antibiotics (and in fact, salmonella can be resistant to the medicine), but when things continue without improvement as long as our condition has, I think it's safe to say that antibiotics are a safe choice. Weakened immune systems often allow for the illness to take hold like this. I guess coming home from camp is a pretty vulnerable time, then, with all systems shot and us ready for a break. I gotta be honest, though... I wish I'd just gone to the beach. Then I could have avoided this whole mess.

Right now I'm left in a lethargic self-deprecating mood, lazy and tired and sore. There are so many things I need to be doing, from unpacking to school preparations. And I am so so tired of sitting around, but at the same time I don't have the energy or desire to do anything. Throw in some clouds, maybe some noontime rain for good measure, and it's looking like an all around depressing day.

Chin up, though, lass, it's not all bad! It's been neat to have all six of us living in the same house again, however briefly/unorganizedly/diseasedly. And the porch door is open, and a cool breeze is blowing off the Tennessee, August though it is, and I have you, all of you, so many of you!!!

I can't explain what it was like walking into my apartment after my stay at camp! I'm on the emotional high, this emotional loss, this twirling of emotions as I process another summer gone, trying to etch each memory, each person, in my limited memory, already thinking about the moments I was to late to save, and there, there on my wall in my tiny two-bedroom, pictures of everyone here, of my friends smiling and laughing a hugging and dancing and WOW! Wow to going from place to place and Wow to the smiling people greeting me and Wow to the friendships we've formed together and WOW for all the memories I've yet to form and yet to forget.