I used to believe that people who said they had experienced food poisoning were at best, exaggerating. Like many, I am certain, I would listen politely, and roll my eyes as soon as said person was out of sight. To you, I apologize!
I must admit that having contracted salmonella personally, not even the flu can compare! Mine is a peculiar story though, that begins with a journey for a pet bird.
Being as my husband didn't seem to believe that my running a house, caring for my wee one AND my dh, as well as a German shepherd and two cats was enough to keep me busy, he decided we should go on a quest for a bird, because "having a bird will be fun!" Little did I know it would lead to salmonella.
We began our journey by going to a small, local pet store. We looked around a bit, but really did not see anything we liked. I decided to keep my wee one occupied my looking at the "exotic" pets. Exotic, how exactly?? Oh...that's right..."exotic", in this instance, apparently meant carriers of salmonella. In the "exotic" pets area, there was an albino hedgehog. He seemed innocent enough. I must admit, he was quite cute. I have often thought of the adage "looks can be deceiving" since then. I asked the store owner if I could handle the hedgehog, to which he replied I could. He also warned me to "cozy" up to the hedgehog slowly, because they are jumpy...and when they jump, the quills pop, and one could easily be poked with a quill, which is quite painful. That was enough to scare me, but I still wanted to at least touch the hedgehog. *Note to self-TRUST YOUR GUT, WOMAN!!* I reached in to touch this hedgehog...the "danger" was much like the Siren song that Homer spoke of. Upon barely touching the hedgehog he jumped, which made me jump. That close call was enough for me, and my wee one and I left the "exotic" pets area. I had thankfully escaped injury...or, so I thought. Before leaving the pet store, I made a trip to the bathroom, to wash my hands. Upon seeing the bathroom, I decided to wait until we returned to the vehicle to use one of the baby-wipes I keep in the truck, to clean my hands, as the bathroom was rather dirty, and I was afraid I would exit with more germs than I had entered.
Upon settling in the truck, I used a baby-wipe to cleanse my hands, and thought nothing more of the pet shop, other than being glad we were leaving. We decided to make a trip to "the big city", to check out one of the bigger pet stores. On the way down to "big city", we drove through the drive-thru at McDonald's. My "clean" hands touched my food...my food entered my mouth, and my "friend" salmonella got a free ride to my intestines.
I won't share the sordid details, but suffice it to say that in a matter of about 48 hours, my body was doing things it was never meant to do. I wasn't sure which end needed to be pointed toward the toilet more urgently. This took place over four days. On the fifth day, I ended up in the emergency room, due to bloody stool. I was poked and prodded to a great extent, and I cannot even begin to imagine when I may finally recuperate all of the blood they removed from me. Being as they were unsure of my diagnosis, I wasn't even allowed a Tylenol. Nor food, being as they decided it was vital to do a colonoscopy. Experiencing a colonoscopy is definitely an entry for another day. :oP
My hospital stay lasted about 36 hours, and only upon a follow-up visit to my doctor, did I learn I had contracted salmonella. Technically, it wasn't true food poisoning, as I had actually contracted it from an animal, but without reserve I can say that it was a miserable experience that ranks right up there with gall bladder pain. It was quite horrid.
I am doing much better now, although I do have some lasting effects from it, most notably, a form of arthritis. My doctor said it can take more than a year to go away, but that it may never go away. I suppose if there is a moral to this story, it is that we should be kinder towards those who say they were ill due to food poisoning...or ill at all, really. We never know when we may need their sympathy. More importantly, however, is this moral:
DON'T TOUCH THE EVIL HEDGEHOG!!!
