I was ill throughout much of the month of July. I would get sick with something, it would fade, I would have a few good days – I believe 4 was the record – and then I would get sick again. It was always something different: I had a cold, then tonsilitis, then a cough, then something different.

It culminated in a doctors visit where he said I had a 38.7 degree fever and an underlying infection that had opened me up to the other illnesses. I had a course of antibiotics, essentially three days in bed, and I was ‘better’. I was still exhausted, but I was better.

The worst part of the last bout was that I couldn’t keep anything down. Everything I ate I threw up within about 5 minutes. I was really careful with taking any drugs – I’d take them with water, and not eat until about 45 minutes after, because otherwise I’d throw up the tablets as well as the food. The worst one was when I took cough mixture and then immediately threw up, and had to take a second dose, willing my body not to vomit.

The day I turned for the better properly, I was nauseated *and* hungry. I really really really wanted food, but I really really wanted to throw up as well. I found a cup-a-soup in the cupboard, mixed it up and sat down. I slowly sipped it, over the course of about 30 to 45 minutes. It was getting cold when I finished it, but I didn’t throw up.

Victory.