Travel Pathology

I was having a dream that there were polyps on my tonsils and throughout my throat. I was assessing them through the eyes of a woman I had never met before. She was horrified and in turn, I was as well.

When my eyes finally peeled open late this morning, and I remembered where I was, I reached for my jar of water that I keep beside my bed at all times. A painful swallow followed by a dry cough. Stiffness in my neck and shoulders and pressure in my ears. I palpated my tonsils, which confirmed it. It was my turn to suffer from the head cold that had been circulating throughout the school.

I had no classes today, just plans to work on several summative assessments that will be due in the next couple of weeks. So, I was unbothered by the prospect of staying home sick all day. In my opinion, this is the best time of year for these types of holidays.

Being sick, for a healthcare provider, feels like somewhat of a challenge. I imagine it’s a similar scenario for a professional chef attending community potlucks. This is how I make a living. Healing. Artful, professional, personalized, standardized, globalized, localized, specialized, healing.

I started the day by making myself my morning cup of tea. Earl grey with honey, oatmilk, and cinnamon. The perfect companion as I tried to do my coursework in an achy body. I placed my plants in the hallway to ensure they got some of the rare sunshine, and since it seems I was the only one in the flat for the day, I did a preemptive load of laundry since the machine was available.

I made sure to be in my room by the time the clock struck 9 am. In the months staying here, I have lamented the fact that most of my flat’s windows face north. My dream home is bathed in natural sunlight. As if I wasn’t already having to battle for sunlight in Scotland, the architect of my flat made sure the flat was a cave except for the sliver of a window in the hallway that I attribute the health of my plants to. However, at 9 am every morning, the window of the opposite apartment complex reflects the sun directly into my room, giving the illusion that the morning sun is invading, warming the space.

The flat was quiet all morning, as I am sure my flatmates were all outside enjoying the sun or attending classes, leaving me to sniffle, sneeze, and cough in peace. I completed one of the six tasks I outlined for myself for the day, then went to make a concoction of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories for lunch.

I’ve gradually become more accustomed to the flat, despite the ongoing challenge of weekly repairs. Issues like frequent power outages, unpredictable hot water availability, and malfunctioning toilets have been a recurring theme. In early September, the kitchen table succumbed to the weight of a coffee mug. Strangely, this turned out to be a silver lining as they replaced it with a more modern, light-colored table that I find much more appealing than the previous black conference table. But, as I have stated before, it is rare for me to come across a space that I cannot make a home in some sense, even if the landlords won’t let me have candles.

While sipping my lemon soup, my flatmate Kylie joined me in the kitchen.

“Fancy a walk in the park?” I asked her after feeling the need for some fresh air and a break from my computer.

Living right next to the meadows has its benefits. It almost makes living in University housing worth it. Although I do still want to try and find a much cheaper apartment in the city. But today, the overpriced university housing felt worth it as I walked through the little pathways littered with golden brown leaves, right behind my flat.

Kylie and I chatted about books, weekend plans, and my sniffles until we stumbled upon a section of the park that, apparently, we had yet to discover. A charming little parklet, complete with small vintage shopping rooms, a guitarist, and a quaint little cafe. I’ve been running past this spot for months; how did I miss it until now? I made a mental note of this spot for a potential day date. Acknowledging that sugar isn’t the best remedy for fending off colds, I celebrated the occasion with a hot chocolate adorned with all the marshmallows.

When we made our way back, I felt even less motivated to be productive in any sense. Opting for a nice, long, hot shower to clear my head (literally) sounded much more appealing than finishing my presentation slides on Female Genital Mutilation. The day continues to ebb on, and I am resisting the urge to dive into my fantasy books to see if I can accomplish at least one more task for the day. However, my body is achy, and I am sniffly, and the leaves are rustling outside. I wish for NyQuil, but according to my flatmate Kylie, we have not yet been able to track anything like that down in the city. Even if we knew where to get it, the thought of leaving my flat for something other than a sunny walk in the park and hot chocolate is unpersuasive.

But writing a blog post could be nice; it’s considered productive, right? I shall do that, then probably reward my long day of work fighting the sniffles and play a little piano before bed (the piano gifted to me by my dear friend Susan, THANK YOU).