I can't remember the last time I had a fever. It definitely was pre-COVID. Well, thanks (I think) to my neighbor, Mike, who was galavanting around before he came to my house on Christmas Eve, I had a cough all last week (he got sick during my dinner and left early) and last night it finally became a full-blown thing.
I went to the gym in the late afternoon with the intention of stretching. Well, it was an intention anyway. I didn't really stretch, but I did a light workout. I started feeling a little more off than I've been and was starving, so I came up to my room and ordered room service. Well, I over-ordered. I got an order of chicken wings, which was an appetizer (but actually a full meal), a chicken soup (that had too much chicken) and a Caeser salad, which was horrible. And now as I write this I realize I already wrote this because I had to remember how to spell Caeser.
So fast forward to after dinner. I read a little and went to bed early. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling really hot and sweating. I had to keep changing sides of the bed because the bed felt like it was on fire. Finally, I got up, took more cough syrup and took a Tylenol for arthritis. I don't know if it's regular Tylenol or not, but I threw it in my bag last minute thinking I might need some pain reliever because I often wake up feeling stiff (because I get numb when I'm sleeping). I knew it would bring down the fever, and sure enough it did, and eventually I cooled off and got some sleep.
After a restless, sweaty, feverish night, I went downstairs and got a hot tea and a panini for breakfast (no room service) and then went out to the pool early. There were already people in my little space, so I sat in another one. Sat in the sun for a bit, and then ordered lunch. I had the salmon again. This time with rice, rather than an undressed salad.
Then I had my pedicure. My toenails were gnarly and they look good now. Pedicures are often strange, and I really want to open my male salon one day. Men need male spaces for nail maintenance.
From there, I walked to the pharmacy.
I had a little trouble figuring out the door system (there was one door to enter and one to leave) but the pharmacist spoke English and gave me a cough syrup and some Tylenol.
It was nice walking there. A few people said hello and smiled. One guy wished me a happy new year. The last time I was here, I mostly walked along the malecon, along the sea, but here I was walking a very busy street in Gazcue, a nice middle-class neighborhood. It made me want to explore more, but maybe not on this trip. I know El Conuco, a traditional Dominican restaurant I've been to before is nearby, but I've only been through this neighborhood in cars, not walking.
I came back to my room, did a shot of cough syrup and took some Tylenol, and after chatting a bit with my friend Lisa, had a nice nap. I woke up at 5 feeling fresh. No cough, no sign of a fever, and I was beginning to get hungry.
When I went to the pharmacy, I passed a restaurant behind the hotel called Manolo. I Googled it and it got good reviews. People said it was the best restaurant in Santo Domingo and the service was exceptional. I looked at the menu and they had several seafood options. I figured I'd try it instead of room service.
Ok, well, the service was the usual. Kind of serious, not terribly friendly, and pretty basic. I wasn't asked if I wanted a drink. After I ordered, I had to flag down the waiter because I decided I wanted a beer. He didn't offer me a glass. I got a seafood soup which was very salty and a LOT of food, plus an order of garlic shrimp and rice. The seafood soup, which was a starter, was bigger than the main course. It was a lot of food and it was ok, but really nothing to write home about.
The restaurant itself was an interesting scene. Everyone looked Dominican. One screaming child made a scene. Some weird kickboxing program was on a huge TV at one end with two half-naked men rolling around on a mat. The restaurant was open to the street, whih was busy and noisy. One woman was smoking (I can't remember the last time I saw someone smoking in a restaurant). I probably won't go back, but I will look for other options.
When I came back, I stopped at the little cafe on the first floor and got a mint tea. The guy who served me before remembered that I'd asked for honey and put some in my tea. It was the first instance of someone kind of going an extra step since I've been here. Oh, I take that back... this morning when I went down to get my first cup of tea, I passed the maid. She had a toothbrush and toothpaste for me. I didn't need it though, but it was very nice of her. We're becoming friends (I see her a lot).
And so here it is, around 7 p.m. and I'm feeling pretty good. I still feel a little wheezy, but if I were feverish, I'd be feeling it by now (fevers usually hit me around 5). I hope I have a feverless night and wake up tomorrow with clear lungs.
If not, well, I guess I'll have to pamper myself some more until I get better.
No comments:
Post a Comment