Saturday, March 15, 2008

And it goes on

After having the flu for the first week of March and finally feeling better by the weekend, I woke this past Monday with laryngitis and such bad chest congestion I could barely breath. This "super flu", or whatever the news is calling it, is pretty severe around here. There are signs at every pharmacy warning of it and one of our local emergency rooms had to close because they had no more beds available at the hospital for incoming patients.

I know that I had to have picked it up at my daughter's school because both weekends before falling ill, I had helped supervise backstage during the school musical. I just don't understand how it happened because I'm a germaphobe when it comes to being around others. I won't touch door knobs with my bare hands and I'm always washing my hands. Figures, I rarely leave the house and when I do get out to do something useful, I pay the price for it.

When I called to cancel my T apptmt on Wednesday, cuz I knew I wouldn't be better by Friday in order to go, she asked if I was going to see my doctor. Testing to see if I was going to engage in self care. I told her I'd take the wait & see approach. I hate going to the doctor only to have them tell me it's a viral infection and I'll just need to wait it out. So I wait it out and if I don't get better or if I get worse, then I'll go to the doctor.

Unfortunately, by yesterday I was much worse, so I did break down and go. Got put on some antibiotics and codeine-laced cough meds. I have not felt this physically sick in a really long time, and I'm talking years. I normally get about 12 hours of sleep in a day, but since Monday I've been averaging about 18. I'll sleep for a couple of hours, force myself to get out of bed and drink something, then go right back to sleep. I've been up for the last 2 hours now, which is the longest I've managed to stay awake at one time in days.

Knock on wood, so far no one else in the family has gotten sick. I feel guilty for missing my niece's birthday party today. I really wanted to be there, but I definitely don't want to risk spreading this around. I did send a card & some money with the old people to give to her. Spring break is just a week away, and I know I'll see her a lot then.

On the upside, besides losing another 10 lbs cuz I haven't eaten much in 2 weeks, mentally I'm holding on fairly well. It's hard to get pissed off when you can't get out of bed. It's hard to worry about things when you're asleep far more hours than you are awake. All that stuff takes energy, energy I just don't have to expend. I'm sure all my problems and worries will hit me full on once I feel better. I'm not naive enough to believe they have gone away for good. It sure would be nice if they would vanish forever though.

Guess I'll go curl up on the couch and see if I can stay awake long enough to watch No Country For Old Men. On the way home from the doctor I stopped to rent a couple of movies for the kiddie and got this one for myself.