Imagine this: Being a Diabetic, I have been trying to take different measures to make sure that my blood sugar would not go low in the middle of the night. I lowered my basal rate for my pump while I would be sleeping, ate a snack before getting in bed, thought about taking my blood sugar before going to sleep but thought it would be wise to save my supplies. I tried to err on the side of caution for the most part, and even set my pump to turn off for 2 hours so that I would not wake up with a low blood sugar.
I remember bits and pieces of the next morning...Like looking at my pump under the covers and being aware that I did not want to wake up my roommates, so I tried to shield the light as much as I could by hiding in the covers. I also remember Sarah talking to me- no idea what about, but I remember seeing her and having her be close to my bed. The next thing I know, I am coming out of a crazy dream surrounded by Indian men and women dressed in Saree's. I kept trying to close my eyes, realizing that what I was feeling is often what I feel like when I come out of a low blood sugar, but hoping with everything inside of me that I could close my eyes and it would not be real. Try as I might though, the world kept coming in clearer and clearer and I was still in the same place. I had an IV in my hand, 3 of the RSO staff were at the foot of my bed, and a man dressed in a blue shirt kept walking in and out from a curtain. I later was introduced to Dr. Kumar, the man in the blue shirt, who happened to be the doctor at Rising Star and the Leprosy colonies. I could not talk for a long time, and Reagan, a staff member with RSO, tried to inform me of what had happened.
She explained that my roommates had been concerned for me because I kept making really strange noises, at first they thought it was a bad dream and they were treating it as that. But after a few hours of it not stopping, they came to my bed again and saw that my pump had come out in the middle of the night. They immediately got a staff member involved who called Dr.Kumar and after hearing that I was Diabetic and not being responsive he got on his motor bike and made it from his village to RS in half the time.In the meantime Reagan had mixed some sugar water together and was trying to help me drink it. She smiled explaining to me that half went in my mouth and the other half either drooled out of my mouth or went on the person who was trying to help me drink. Dr. Kumar wanted to have my blood sugar checked and my kit was in my backpack - which was the ONLY bag that had not been searched. It showed that I was 14, and within 2 minutes of finding that out, I had already been carried to the Jeep and my medical bag had been grabbed. Reagen and Jenni, along with Steele, the Managing Director at Rising Star loaded in the Jeep with Dr. Kumar. I was told that Dr. Kumar checked my pulse every few minutes- and my pulse was very hard for him to find which made him even more concerned. The drive normally takes 45 minutes to get to the Changalputt Hospital, but our amazing driver, T.J. made it in about 25 minutes. I was immediately given an IV, blood was drawn, and within 45 minutes of arriving I was starting to be able to focus and acknowledge that I understood where I was at.
This is where my memory gets fuzzy, but I was at least awake and aware that I knew people and that the hospital was not where I had fallen asleep. The IV was huge and very painful, blood was drawn 3 times, and I was given 4 bags of fluids. With each change of the fluid in my IV, I would anticipate the movement of the IV from the nurse and found myself close to tears with every fluid change. The sting and the movement of my vein was close to unbearable. After my blood sugar was in a normal range, Dr. Kumar explained that my electrolytes were too low to leave the ER and I had to be admitted for a closer watch and for more fluids. At that point they thought that I would need to stay overnight. (Side note.. the ER visit upto this point was priced at 400 rupees which equals, $8 U.S. dollars) 
Keep in mind, this hospital is in a very small village about an hour from Chennai- it was a friend of Dr. Kumar's who owned the hospital though, and he was a person that if Dr. Kumar trusted- then everyone felt at ease. The hospital had an open airway between the halls, and when I was wheeled up to the 4th floor, I was taken to a ramp on the outside of the building that weaved in and out of the floors as we twisted up. Also, while my room was getting ready- Jenni, Steele, and Reagan had gone on a picture adventure and came back with pictures of monkeys along the sidewalls of the hospital, along with squatter toilets near the steet that Regan and Jenni had an intersting time explaining to the man who was in charge of them- that they were better than American toilets and that was why she was taking pictures. Throughout the day, I had about 4 doctors come to my room asking very intently and concerned as to why I did not wake up to eat breakfast. The first 2 doctors I attempted to explain that I was unconscious and could not wake up to eat. But by the 3rd and 4th I started just complying and saying that I would do it next time and that I did not mean to skip breakfast.
At one point, I was talking.. well more so listening to Dr. Kumar talk about medical school in India, and about places he had worked since finishing school. But when my blood sugar goes low, I will often see double and triple of some objects or people. So I was trying my best to listen to Dr. Kumar talk, when suddenly his head split into 3 different heads! I started staring at the ceiling and apologized to him about not looking because at that point, I could not handle the movement or the 3 heads. By 5:30 pm I was released from the hospital- having been showered in all types of candied treats, strawberry milk, and banana's provided by Steele, Jenni, and Reagan along with an Indian nightie, and a day full of stories about their fun life adventures.When I returned back to RSO, dinner had just started, and as I was walking to the rooftop- children were trying to huddle around me asking if I felt better and asking "why [had I] gone to hospital." We ate dinner with the other volunteers, and I took it slow for the evening. When I went to my families room after dinner, all of the kids were lined against the wall. My house mother, Gandhi Marie, saw me, immediately, got stern with the children and talked to them in Tamal for a while. After she had finished, she looked back at me and translated what she had told the children. Her directions were that I was not allowed to be bothered, to move or rough house. I was only allowed to sit down and read stories and the children needed to pick out books to read. The children were amazing! They did just that. They sat quietly while I read and would constantly feel my hand where my monster IV had been placed, and asked if I felt better. They also had made me a poster that McCall had drawn on and the other volunteers had gathered the kids to have them sign it.
Even though it was a rough day, coming back to RSO felt so great, and being able to hear from everyone else their stories of how the rough start to the morning had impacted them (or made their low part of the day...we share high/lows at dinner..I happened to be nearly every ones low). It also helps, since I do not remember anything after going to bed at RSO and then waking up in an open airway hospital. We adjusted my insulin again- and I have promised as much as I am able within my ability to not let it happen again.
I am extremely grateful though to everyone who was part of that day, and also to Reagan, Jenni, Steele, Dr. Kumar and Dani (who kept everyone at RSO closely informed of what was happening during the hospital adventure). I am etremely grateful for the efficiancy, concern, and the many stories that I have been told about and throughout that day.
