Life is What Happens While You're Busy Making Other Plans - Part II

Yes, I've been sick again.

It wasn't something I ate this time, so in a way it's less stupid -- I did not actually do this to myself. Instead, some tiny little airborne germ that should have been eradicated long ago managed to leave its host... in search of me! And after over a year and a half of not getting any upper respiratory infections - WHAM! It found me and managed to break in, wreaking havoc on the immune system and my head and body...

As usual, my immune system started with my voice. A sure hint from the gods that I talk too much. The voice went and I hoped in vain that it was all that it would take. Occasionally I get laryngitis with no other side effects. Not this time. The voice disappeared late Monday night but around 09h00 Tuesday morning, the head began to ache (starting at the top and working its way into my face - definitely a sinus infection), the ears began to ache, my balance deteriorated (I almost walked into walls like a drunk so I began to minimize my trips about work), and the body began its litany of aches and pains. Aches and pains worry me. I am not prone to fever, but when I get it, I get it in a very severe, scary way. I wonder if it is due to my normal temperature running high. I am always registering around the low to mid-99 range. I rarely read anything below 99.1 degrees. So for me a fever is not 99.5 degrees, it is more like 100 and up. The last time I had a fever, it ran as high as 102, which was scary - that was horrifically uncomfortable.

And the worst thing is going to the bathroom. Let's be honest - that porcelain or plastic or whatever the material, is normally cool to the touch - room temperature or cooler. But when your body temp is elevated and your ass hits that frigid seat, you just want to scream!

This was a really unique infection, though, in that it just completely sapped away my energy. I came down with it on Tuesday, hung in there until around 14h00, then had to go home. Wednesday morning I felt the fever and knew there was no going to work (I will work with a common cold and well enough... I might be slow but I still get things done. I refuse to push myself with a fever. I will stay home and nurse myself until the fever has abated 24 hours. Then I will return to work. Pushing oneself with a fever is extremely unadvisable.

So I had a fever of 100.5 on Wednesday and stayed home, and mostly I slept. The mucus and headache and scratchy throat did not really bother me too much, but the aches and pains were quite difficult. And there is another thing - I won't medicate myself for the first three days of any infection. I allow my body to pull out all the stops and fight it on its own (and as a result I normally do get through illnesses better and faster than I would by trying to ameliorate all the symptoms. I read somewhere that your body will lose that ability to utilize its immune system if one continuously takes medication to make the process more comfortable. I believe it - your body is trying to make you rest to avoid that bad list symptoms and you are ignoring it!). After three days if it is not going away, then there is a serious problem and it is time to take it to the next level.

Anyway, on Wednesday I was sick but able to walk around the house and fix a little something to eat (not that I ate much for a change)... for the six or eight hours I was awake. When I awoke on Thursday, however, things got really ugly!

I woke up around 10h00 - not my normal MO - even Wednesday I was up around 08h00 to e-mail in to the masses that I was not coming in. But Thursday I was totally enervated. I got up, e-mail in sick, and went right back to bed. I did not crawl out of the bedroom until around 14h00, and then I managed to have some juice and lay on the couch to watch in a stupor the Olympics. (Those people are absolutely insane, but I will save that for another post...) I fell asleep on the couch on and off. I went to bed around 19h00 - truly an invigorating day, ha, ha!

Normally when I am sick, I can read and write - and I do make use of the time to catch up on my letter-writing. I managed some letter-writing on Wednesday (I have the most wonderful lap desk) but on Thursday and part of yesterday as well, I was so weak that I could not hold my pen without my hand shaking from the effort! What the hell is that?!

It was alarming. I was so weak Thursday and Friday morning that I could not sit upright, hold a pen, nothing! It was really quite scary. But after a nap yesterday I began to be somewhat functional again. I was not quite so exhausted.

This morning I got up, whenever - no alarm, thank you - got into the shower, managed to drive to work and managed about two days' of work in one long day - I got in around 09h00 and left at 17h15. The kitchen was very good to me and served me both breakfast and lunch, and extraordinarily delicious ones at that. (A million thanks to Greg for that absolutely wonderful breakfast in both taste and presentation! He really outdid himself!) I got a lot done but by 16h30, I could feel myself getting too tired and the fever slowly climbing. It was time to go home.

So home I came and I will be shuffling off to bed now. It was a productive day and totally draining. But I have my fifth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on DVD to immerse myself in! But I had to post something before crashing. Here it is, dear reader.

Good night!