Washout Day

it is 7:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I returned home last night at 7:30 p.m.; exactly 12 hours after I ventured out.  I caught the express bus to tel aviv at 7:30 a.m.  I reached tel aviv at 10:00 a.m. and took a local bus to the hospital.  it took another hour.  I was thinking about taking a taxi but the bus was right there.  I got to the hospital an hour early for my pet scan.  I was sent immediately to the nurse to put in a line.  he was the same nurse that butchered my arm a few years ago.  I told him so and warned him to be careful.  usually, they put the line in my left arm but not yesterday. after he got the line in, my right arm and fingers burned and I was in quite a bit of pain.  it was difficult to open the bottle of the dreaded white substance and pour out cupfuls. 

it is artificially sweetened and tastes disgusting.  I suffer tremendously getting it down.  yesterday I could only manage to swallow three cups.  I poured the last two out.  I felt nauseous and of course, had diarrhea.  it was pretty cold when I left safed but by the time I reached tel aviv, it was a heat wave.  I was supposed to be on a 6 hour fast but by the time I got taken into the scanner, it was more like 14 hours.  I felt ill.  my stomach hurt.  I was sitting on a very comfortable pull boy chair with my feet up for over an hour.  the heating unit was blowing hot air on my body.  the room must have been freezing because I didn't feel hot.  the scan was about a half an hour long.  as usual, I kept my eyes tightly shut. I didn't wait to get the CD. I couldn't get out of the hospital any faster.  they had an outdoor fair but I had little patience nor strength to buy anything.

I bought a huge sandwich and waited for the bus back to tel aviv.  I should have taken a taxi.  I got the bus and got to tel aviv at 3:30 p.m.  I was at the train station and thought about taking the train back to the north.  I couldn't really understand the lieder board and went back outside to catch the bus.  the train only takes me to a town that is about an hour from safed unless I transfer to another train and that requires another bus ride that could be 40 minutes long.  I got lost and couldn't find the bus stands.  they were repaving the parking lot and it was cordoned off.  it took me about a half an hour to get it sorted out.  the bus came and I was in rosh pina at 7:00 p.m.  I took a taxi home.  I had no more strength to catch another bus to my neighborhood. I needed to get home.  my dog was home alone for 12 hours.

I couldn't do much of anything today besides eat.  I was too exhausted to clean anything.  I did manage to wash all of my towels and hang them outside in the sun. I put them all away a little while ago. I am very tempted to go to the large supermarket tomorrow and buy the veggies and fruits that I need for pesach.  I want to avoid the crowds next week.  I have to go to town to sell my chometz.  I hate to take the time out of cleaning but I will have too.  I hope that I will be back on my feet tomorrow.  today was a total washout, literally.