We boarded the American Airlines Flight 65 from Zurich at 8:50 a.m. and flew the 8 hours across as many time zones to JFK in NYC.  It was an easy flight for me, but Luana simply endured it.

She awakened that morning with a headache.  A couple of ibuprofens seemed to ease the pain, but when we entered the plane the malady returned with force.  She’s a tough lady, and that showed in the way she handled thre three successive flights.

There was a four hour scheduled layover in New York that stretched to five because of the apparent ineptitude of our domestic airlines.  As we waited that extra hour, I couldn’t help thinking that we’d flown to the other side of the world, taken 6 in-country flights over there, and then returned, with the only glitch in the schedule coming on both ends of our journey in our own country.

At any rate, we still had another 7 plus hours of elapsed time before we’d walk in our own front door.  In fact, from the time of our departure until our ultimate arrival more than 22 hours would transpire.  And, my wife was absolutely miserable.  The headache was the worst she’d ever had, and it was now accompanied by severe muscle aches and a fever.  I know she was miserable because, well, because I’ve been married to her for more than 43 years.  She doesn’t complain.  She has a high tolerance for pain.  But, I could tell she was in misery.

It doesn’t help either that most flights set the A/C thermostat at a level designed to refrigerate sides of beef for lengthy periods of time.

We were met in Omaha by our friends Jeff and Jean, who delivered us to our own door and beds; but the symptoms persisted the next morning after 7 hours of sleep.  I called the doctor, and he sent us to the hospital emergency room.

Have you ever been consigned to such a place?  9 hours later, following several diagnostic tests, Luana was admitted.  (Editorial comment here:  I’m just glad the President’s new health care system is not in place yet – we might still be in that ER these two days later!)  Both types of influenza (A and B – which includes H1N1) were eliminated as possibilities, as was malaria.  The spinal tap revealed that viral meningitis was the culprit.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.  Viral infections are the most common cause of this malady, but bacteria can be at the root as well.  Just to be certain all bases were covered, the docs ordered intravenous antibiotics and an MRI of her brain.

I’m more than a little relieved that it is not I that has been afflicted; although, I hasten to add, I do wish I could take my best friend’s pain away.  I’m relieved, I say, with my tongue firmly thrust into my cheek, because if an MRI were done on my brain they’d find half of it gone due to the activity of the amoeba I wrote about in my first post on this trip.  I prefer to keep on fooling people about my deteriorating condition, although that is becoming increasingly difficult.

My dear spouse has spent the last two days in hospital.  The pain meds have dealt with her discomfort, and as it is with any viral attack, she will just have to weather this until it leaves.  That could take another 10 days, though she will probably be dismissed today.  Bed rest and fluids will be the regimen.

The enterovirus that causes this condition is most often spread through direct contact with an infected person’s stool – most often through small children who are not yet toilet trained.  It can spread to adults by the changing of the diapers of an infected infant.

In addition, the arbovirus, spread through mosquitoes and other insects, can produce viral meningitis.  And, finally, these viruses don’t always result in this infection, but can manifest in other ways, depending on the state of a person’s immune system.

But, one of them did result in this infection for Luana.  She handled a lot of babies on the subcontinent, and she was bitten by a few mosquitoes.  But she will be ok, with no permanent affects.  We thank you for your continued prayers.

Meanwhile, there is no cure for what ails me.  What day is this, anyway?

It means "exit."