AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File
Gastroenteritis! Just the word is enough to scare the crap out of you, which, of course, is exactly what gastro does. Somehow shortening it to gastro tames the concept a wee bit; words that end in “itis” are never terribly comforting. Not only is gastro miserable for the sufferer, but those within close proximity should beware as it is highly contagious. It runs (yep, pun intended) through schools, workplaces, sports teams and, evidently, even palaces.
Queen Elizabeth II was admitted to hospital yesterday with a case of gastroenteritis that doctors feared would result in dehydration due to the classic symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea (or diarrhoea since she’s British).
“As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled,” the palace said in a statement. Elizabeth’s two-day trip to Rome had been planned to start Wednesday. A spokeswoman said the trip may be “reinstated” at a later date.
When the Queen was arriving at the hospital she made a very brief statement in response to a media question. When asked how long she’s been experiencing gastro symptoms she said “I’ve been on the throne for 61 years”. One can only assume she misheard the question.
