Just took the Norwalk virus

The study coordinator "Tony" brought me and the three other subjects into a common room. There, he and the 3 doctors overseeing the study administered the Norwalk water to us with a lot of ceremony. Apparently, to administer the virus, the subjects have to have been fasting (have an empty stomach) and then take sodium bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid, otherwise the virus won't take. So there was a lot of ritualization and timing involved in taking of the virus. They lined us up on one side of the room, execution-style, in front of a table that had four sets of cups on it. Tony squirted sodium bicarbonate into four cups of water. He gave us the signal and we all drank the sodium bicarbonate water. It tasted a little bitter and medicinal. The ritualism of it all, the fact that there were 3 doctors in the room taking things very seriously, and nurses circling like satellites: that's when it happened. I was started to panic. I felt like throwing up, and I knew if I indulged my panic, I could make it happen. But I just kept breathing. I knew the panic was due to the gravity of the situation and everyone's seriousness. But I got it under control by starting up some small talk with everyone and getting my mind off of what was happening. Finally, one doctor looked at his watch and gave Tony the signal when 2 minutes had passed. Then Tony had us all drink the "poopy water" (as Vanya dubbed it) simultaneously. Then the doctor timed for 5 minutes, at which point we all simultaneously took two sodium bicarbonate pills.
In retrospect, I realize that it was the bicarb water that did the trick. Our senses are very sensitive to that kind of stimuli, namely bitterness. We've evolved such that we equate bitterness with toxin. Had we been given regular water, panic might not have been triggered. Where there's fire, there was a spark. But I worked through it, so big friggin' kudos for me.

One interesting torture device they're using: We can't eat for another 2 hours. I've been fasting since noon! dammit.