A Singular Odyssey

I arrived on the island on June 22nd full of delight to be there and anticipating the many projects I had planned over the winter. Daisy, my cat, was also happy to be back on the island as it meant being outdoors, something not allowed back home.

The first week was spent doing the usual i.e., unpacking, cleaning, putting things away, bringing others out, running the boat, checking in with neighbors, and generally settling in.

My first trip to town involved the bank, the hardware store, the library and the grocery store which then involved several trips from the car to the boat to the cottage. I noticed that I was more than a little tired at the end but put it down to my advancing age.

As the days wore on, however, I had to sit down frequently between chores, and if I sat down in the afternoon to read my book, I fell asleep almost immediately. That was a new one for me. My husband was the napper, but I never had time for one. I was always busy.

Then my appetite began to disappear. Breakfast has seldom been on my agenda, but I had always enjoyed a good lunch and dinner. Now I found myself listlessly eating half a sandwich and some berries while dinner left me staring at my plate not remotely interested in the meal before me. My glass of wine similarly held no interest and was most often left untouched.

Did I decide that a call to the doctor was necessary? Of course not. It was just something bothersome that would soon go away, and I would be back to painting, sanding, planting. I have always been healthy, worked out daily and kept myself in good shape. Then came the explosive diarrhea, very aptly named. Finally, in the early hours of July 12th, I realized that I was in very sad shape. I hurt everywhere, I couldn’t keep anything down, and I could barely stand upright.

At sunrise I called my neighbors to inquire if they were planning on attending church in A Bay. When they asked why I was asking, I said I really needed to go to the hospital there, and I wasn’t capable of driving myself. Being wonderful neighbors, they changed plans immediately and drove over to pick me up. I could barely get onto the boat, let alone the car.

Once at River Hospital, the staff wasted no time getting me into a bed, taking vital signs, getting fluids going all the while asking me questions, which according to my neighbor, I was answering nonsensically. After much blood work and a series of tests, the doctor advised that my kidneys were very unhappy with me. I was scoring off the charts but not the right direction. High when the score should have been low and low when the opposite should have been high. I got to the ER around 10:00 am, but it wasn’t until 10:00 that night that I was deemed stable enough to be transported via ambulance to the ICU Ward at Samaritan Hospital in Watertown, NY. I spent three days in hospital undergoing extensive tests to determine the cause of this debilitating illness.

On the second day, the doctor discovered that I was host to a virtually unknown bacterium, Plesiomonas Shigelloidesd*. It is found primarily in fresh water aquatic environments and raw or undercooked seafood. Since I could rule out seafood, that left…the St. Lawrence River. For many years, my family refrained from drinking the river water, we did not cook in it, make ice cubes, coffee and the like. We did brush teeth and swim in it. We did not have a filter system.

I don’t remember ever feeling as bad as those first few days in the hospital. I certainly had no idea of just how sick I was until the kidney doctor informed me that had I waited one more day to seek help, I would not have made it. Rather sober news to wake up hearing is an understatement.

What have I learned from this near fatal encounter? First check your plumbing. I found the intake pipe lying on the river bottom was not where it was supposed to be. Keep in mind that the River today is not the River of your childhood. Consider a filter system if one is not already in place. Get to know and help your neighbors. You never know when you might really need them.

Keep your phone charged and handy. Don’t kid yourself when you do not feel up to par, especially if you live alone. We have all witnessed the power of the St. Lawrence. We have seen it lashed with storms, wind, and rain. We have read about tragic accidents and witnessed foolish behavior. Hopefully most have not and never will encounter the power on the bottom.

*Some doctors refer to it as a parasite.

By Allison Burchell-Robinson

Allison Burchell-Robinson's great grandfather built a cottage on Wyoming Island in 1910, and five generations have followed. She spent her childhood summers in the River, on the River or by the River. Eventually, she and her husband moved to an island in Ivy Lea Group. She is happy to return every summer to enjoy, relax and rejuvenate in an area her son referred to as the most beautiful place in the world. Many will recognize Allison for her many years of service to the Thousand Islands Association TIA serving as President, then Secretary/Treasurer, and until recently, editor of TIA's "River Talk". Allison joined the TI Life team last summer and you may see her contributions here. One that is often read is a tribute to John Peach.

Header photograph by Ian Coristine.  It is provided courtesy of IanCoristine/1000IslandsPhotoArt.com