Recently I tempted fate (twice) by bragging that I hadn't been sick in a number of years when my mom complained that she was sick for the third time this season. Then I got a sore throat, a mild one, but I stayed home to be sure. It went away and I got on with my life.
Then (you'd think I'd learn) I was having a friendly debate with someone about vaccines, particularly the annual flu vaccine. Again, I bragged about not getting sick for years, except for mild things that kept me out for a single day, because I get the flu shot.
Let's see, three days later I felt this irritation deep in my chest, like I had smoker's cough. I worried a little but went to work anyway, thinking I'd feel better once I got moving around. Um, no. It got worse. My supervisor suggested that I go home for the rest of the day. I did and napped, thinking it would pass. That night, the congestion moved in. I slept in the other room, practically sitting up.
The next morning I got up, only to lie on the sofa and sleep until 3:00 p.m. My head ached, my bones ached, I had a fever. My cat wouldn't leave me alone. I'm pretty sure she was convinced I was dying. I barely had an appetite. Coughing pained me deeply. I thought I was dying. The dog didn't care. She just wanted to know why I was prone and not taking her for a walk or something. I sweated through a bowl of soup for dinner. Taking off a blanket meant shivering. Ibuprofen, cough syrup, and Theraflu were my closest companions besides SisterCat who wouldn't let me die without her. Randy took care of the dog and everything else but wisely kept his distance.
This morning I ached a little but it felt like a different ache. It felt like stiffness from not moving. And I was hungry, for real. Coughing doesn't hurt. I seem to be able to manage my own temperature. SisterCat is convinced I'm alright so she hasn't bothered to try to sit on me. If my cat is convinced I'm well, I'm convinced too. And I do feel a whole lot better even though my voice is gone. If a fever feels like death is next door, not having one feels like a resurrection.
Just kind of stumbled upon your blog. I got sick three times this winter! Still managed a dozen or more days on the slopes and with the deep base, hoping for several more to come. But the flu really took it out of me and two weeks later I still feel tired from it. Let’s hope we both heal up and get back to adventures!
Thanks for stopping by Rochelle. I feel like I’ve finally turned the corner on this illness at Day 10. Hope to get out to do an easy backcountry tour this weekend to blow the pipes out, so to speak! Hope you are feeling better.