I decided to not let my food poisoning stop me from celebrating Christmas to the max

With that kind of gung-ho mentality, I soon found myself lying on a sofa-bed in the storeroom of my church friend's house as the rest were having the evening party.

My stomach was rolling in the deep and I was so weak I had asked for a place to lie down, and my kindly host prepared the bed for me.

I was helped to the room where I lay down, and they turned off the lights and closed the door.

I soon realised that that wasn't such a good idea.

I was dehydrating, I was feeling faint, and I felt a tingling sensation in my fingers. I knew from previous (rather traumatic) experience that this meant I was not getting enough salts and my body might cramp up and go into shock. Happened once to my hands. Not fun.

To make matters worst, I was too weak to get up. Every muscle in my arms and legs had shut down. I needed to drink, but I could not get to any water.

My throat was parched. I hardly drank anything today- I could barely hold down the can of Hundred-Plus and didn't want to use the toilet more. No food and drink = no diarrhea, so I didn't eat and hardly drank. But no food and drink also = no energy.

I lay paralyzed on the bed, so close to help yet so far away. I heard people walking past the door, some even talking about me, but I could not call to them for water. I tried to call out, but with no energy and a dry tongue, my voice just could not be heard over the din of the party outside.

No food and drink = die.

After a while I gave up hope in being heard, but I did not give up trying. I continued calling for help, softly but surely, mustering whatever strength I could, hoping someone would come and check on me soon.

Then, like an answered prayer, the door opened. 

But no one was there. 

Or so I thought.

At the bottom of the door, sniffing its way in, was my friend's pet dog that had first welcomed me to their house by learning my scent. It had just pushed open the door and come in to save me.

"Sparkle," I called the dog by name and pleaded, "go get my mom."

As it left the room, my mom came in.

Clever dog. Saved my life.

I need to buy it a Christmas present now. What do dogs like?