Yesterday, as we sat in the sweltering chapel, I couldn't help but mentally review emergency procedures as I watched the red-faced priest gush sweat as he stood before us. Not more than 2 minutes after I'd contemplated what to do when he hit the ground, counselor P made eye contact with me, mouthed, "I need help" and then exited the chapel. My first thought was, "like carrying something?" until it occurred to me that for P to leave (he was also fully robed, at the front, serving with the priest), was probably serious.
I left the chapel to find him in only his undershirt, sprawled out on the ground. "Whacha doin'?" I asked him. "Well, I started to black out and everything is spinning, so I thought I'd just lay down for a minute" he said, matter of factly. I ran and got him some cold water, gatorade and a wet towel to put on his head while the camp nurse sat with him. Apparently he thought he might have had a fever prior to chapel, but forgot to take his temperature and was just going to make it through. Apparently also he's been feeling sick for some time, even before the 9 mile canoe trip he'd taken the day before to camp with his campers overnight, and the 9 mile trip home. He hadn't been eating much and probably, in hindsight, not drinking enough.
P is my best counselor. He created a bucket drumline activity. He created a cabin council and had his campers elect leaders amongst themselves. He is enthusiastic, camper focused, has a positive attitude, is helpful and genuinely seems to enjoy everything about camp. We walked him in to the health center slowly as he couldn't stand without help and had his eyes closed tightly, upon laying down in bed, he asked, "so what time do you need me back with the kids?" I told him it wasn't a widely known fact, but if you pass out, you get the night off and until he felt well enough to run across camp singing a silly song, he should stay in the health center.
His temperature was 101, and he slept most of the afternoon. I assumed that he was just overheated, overtired and maybe a bit dehydrated. The nurse was checking on him, but he was sleeping, so I figured he was fine.
At 9:30, so of the staff brought him a get well card from the kids and accidentally woke him up. When he woke up, his entire body hurt and he couldn't see and he asked to go to the emergency room. My job is never dull...
We were in the ER by 10 and 102.6 degree fever sped up the process a great deal, so he quickly had an IV of fluids as they worked on a whole list of tests. By midnight, the doctors were guessing meningitis, and so he had a spinal tap (actually, he had 2 because the doctor couldn't get the needle in the right position, and had to call in another doctor to do it). I was worried about P's health, but also DREADING the letter I was going to have to send home with campers if it was meningitis.
By 2am, the doctor was pretty sure it wasn't meningitis after all, which was a relief for both of us. By that time, P was on some many painkillers and still sick, so he was mostly asleep. The doctor told me he was pretty sure P has one of the tick-borne diseases (besides lyme disease, there are two others). Tick-borne test results take over a week to get back, but either way, he would need antibiotics, so by 3:30am, we were headed home with a prescription and the instruction to have him rest until he got better. Diseases such as lyme's can be treated with antibiotics and aren't permanently damaging as long as they are treated. He had been bit 7-30 days before and is expected to make a full recovery within the next week.
After getting him back into the health center, covered in blankets and a space heater to stop the uncontrollable shivering, I left a note for Program Director S telling her we were back and he was fine and I wouldn't be at breakfast. I was in bed by 4:30am.
Up by 9, and moving around staff so all activities were covered, I haven't sat down since. P has been doing better today, although still very sick. I went to town to get him some bland food and caffeine (which the doctor said he needed to prevent headaches after his spinal tap) and to fill his prescription. When I got back, I found out counselor N was in the staff house basement because she was sick ("why isn't she in the health center?"... no one ever actually answered that for me). When I got to her, she looked BAD. She had a fever of 101 and the camp nurse and I set up another room for her so she could rest as well. More moving around staff, more small cups of 7-up and bowls of applesauce.
After getting her set, I had to take Olivia to the vet in town. She has been limping for a few days and I couldn't let it go on any longer. The vet determined that her paw might have been stung or she stepped on something, and so she gave her an antibiotic shot and some pain pills for the week. My hope is that she recovers quickly and I won't have to make any more vet trips this summer.
Now all that stands between me and my bed is 40 minutes of prayer, the weekly talent show, camper shower and snack time, and then a brief (45 minutes if I'm lucky!!) meeting with the leaders-in-training teens who, according to the leadership development coordinator, need to have a bit of a "coming-to-God" meeting about expectations... I am ready to be done taking care of other people for a little while...
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