Cordoba and other stuff

I think we mentioned in a previous post that we had plans to head back to Cordoba for a 5 day intensive Spanish course.  We chose Cordoba mainly because we really liked the hostal we had been staying at (real reason was they had a lovely Chilean Labrador name Jujuy, pronounced who-hwe or if you ask Marc it's Whoey).

Jujuy visiting us in our room.

Jujuy trying to hide from me behind the front desk.  "I only want to pet you so you can feel it" - Marc.

This was also the week that Marc and I both got sick.  Not horribly sick but a more a little unwell and lethargic.  Marc spent a day in bed sleeping off whatever he had going on and I took 2 days to recover.

Whilst suffering from general malaise I was also having some crazy allergic reaction which caused my hands to break out in horrible eczema.  It was unbearably itchy and sore and had been driving me crazy for a few weeks.  The symptoms peaked one night whilst sitting around the hostel eating dinner.  I couldn't stand it any longer.  The only thing that gave me any slight relief was holding my hands under the cold water tap or holding on to an ice pack.  Not overly practical options.

The decision was made to call in a doctor.  He arrived an hour or so later and only spoke Spanish.  With the help of google translator (where would we be without google!) we were able to establish that I was having a reaction to something and needed immediate treatment.  I was thinking a cream and maybe some tablets to calm things down.  The doctor had other ideas.  He was thinking a couple of doses of antihistamine and a dose of cortisol steroid...in the butt.  That's right, I said it.  IN THE BUTT.

Now most people aren't great with needles and I'm not afraid to admit that I am a massive sissy pants when it comes to be stabbed.  I am also a needle in the butt virgin so I was not keen on this idea at all.  The doctor was a hard arse (pun definitely intended) and pretty much stared me down until I complied with his barbaric treatment plan.

So after much whimpering demands for Marc to hold my hand I allowed the doctor to inject what looked like a metre long needle into my tender cushy bottom.  And he really drove that puppy home.  It was horrific.  The upside was that the double dose of antihistamine pretty much put me to sleep straight away, oh and the steroids did clear up the eczema.  The downside was that I couldn't lay on my right side or my back as any pressure on the puncture wound caused immense pain and discomfort.  We paid the sadistic doctor his 25 pesos (AU$6.50) and he recommended I see a dermatologist as soon as possible.  I'm pretty sure he punched me right where he stabbed me as he walked out the door but I may have imagined this (unlikely).

Passed out post vicious stabbing.  Marc had the decency to pull my pants back up for me.  That is love.

So that was pretty much all that happened over the 6 days in Cordoba.  Oh and the Spanish lessons were ok.