Let’s just say that on this long-awaited trip to Chicago, I never envisioned a miserable bout of food poisoning. However, that’s just exactly what I had, starting last night and going through most of today. The culprit? Not sure, but the only food I ate that Ray didn’t was a salad for lunch covered in chicken. It was at a busy local restaurant right across from the Art Institute, so I would never imagine it wasn’t safe. But that surely was what made me sick.

I knew there was a problem late yesterday afternoon when I started feeling chilled at the Art Institute. “They must have really turned up the air conditioning,” I said to Ray, looking down and seeing the chill bumps on my arms. I was really cold – quaking a bit – by the time we returned to our friend’s house via the train. but I just put on a heavy sweatshirt and immediately felt better. We ate dinner – well, I picked at my food because I was suddenly not very hungry – and then I headed upstairs to bed. That’s when it all began.

I started with terrible indigestion, which was painful, then suddenly rushed into the bathroom for a bout of projectile vomiting. My whole body was dripping wet from sweat once I was done and I thought, “Okay, I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me.” I headed back to bed thinking I was done. Au contraire. I’ll spare you the details, but that was just the beginning of a very long night of stomach-purging followed by a whole day today of multiple bathroom trips. In-between times, I have slept and slept and slept. Tonight, I have a slight temperature, but definitely feel much better. Ray has supplied me with mineral water during the day – I took tiny sips – and then an electrolyte drink tonight. I am starting to feel much better now.

Thank goodness I at least got to enjoy the Art Institute. We had planned a whole day of sightseeing today and tomorrow morning before boarding our train to Los Angeles. The only sights I saw today was the trek back and forth to the bathroom and the inside of my closed eyelids. Tomorrow morning is still up in the air. Hopefully, I’ll be back in full form by then.

On the other hand, I’m grateful I am somewhere I feel safe, and that I am now feeling a whole lot better.

Heading back off to sleep now. Hoping tomorrow I’ll wake up good as new.

Stay safe out there, my friends.