I May Be Dying of Dysentery

All U.S. 1980's-babies will remember playing the computer game, "The Oregon Trail." It was an educational game in which you managed resources & battled obstacles as your wagon train attempted to make it from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon. Most kids played it in school, some had it at home, but it's stellar DOS graphics and unique methods of peril & death left our generation with a long standing joke: "You Have Died of Dysentery."

Note: I am aware that, sadly, people die of dysentery every day because of a simple lack of access to clean water. As children in a first world country, we found the method of death foreign and ancient. I mean no disrespect when I use it here as a call-back to a childhood game.

The irony of my journey was not lost me as I drove through the pacific northwest. I was literally following the beginning steps in the game...

Stocking-up on Supplies

Organizing the Other People on your Trip.

Mine are in various cities and not in the car, but still...

 Taking Stock and Mapping Travel

All these things have made me giggle like the little kid I was when I first played the game. I giggled on the inside, however, as the respiratory bug I've been battling for weeks has worsened, leaving me to feel like I may meet the iconic ending in the game.

There are many ways to die in Oregon Trail. You could be eaten by a bear, drown when your wagon attempts to cross a river, starve to death, be murdered by a fellow wagon train member during an argument. The one that our generation remembers most, however, is dysentery. It was the most common way to die - no reliable access to clean water. I'm sure the game's creators were trying to teach us about the importance of plumbing systems and the fragile nature of the human body. But as kids, all we knew was that dying of dysentery meant you were dying from something that involved diarrhea. To ten year olds that's hilarious.

Luckily, my issue just involves coughing, sneezing, decreased lung capacity, and general cold / respiratory nastiness. It does, however, make it challenging to drive hundreds of miles when you're taking cold medication and antibiotics. I won't go into the nastier details - we all know what this feels like. Due to my suppressed immune system it means I experience it much longer than most. So far it's going on five weeks.

I'm now in San Francisco being taken care of by my sister's sister-in-law, Maria. Instead of the two of us hitting the town Friday night, she brought me Kleenex, crackers, and soup. She has allowed me to be super-disgusting on her couch and I am eternally grateful.

For the first time in five weeks, I feel like there could be hope to getting better. Maybe that's a lesson they should have included in the original game. ...So many things in life can be fixed by a family member.

...or by a Tardis

Next Up: Multi-day drive to Las Vegas. Wish me luck!