i’m thinking of renaming this site Pretty Illness, because let’s face it people, i’m sick a lot. and it is not that i want to be, or that i am a hypochondriac, just that i am more susceptible to obtaining every malady within a four mile radius. right now in the “flu season” every single one of my friends and family has been hit hard with something and frankly i thought i had escaped it. see what i get for thinking?!
it all started on sunday with a sore throat. i thought that it was from the smoky atmosphere at speakeasy friday night, but when i woke up on monday morning with chills and phlegmy cough i knew i was in for a bad haul. around lunchtime on monday i was sweating profusely and was overcome with aching muscles. my sweet boss let me go home for the rest of the day to rest up. monday night was much worse. i had fitful sleep, and could not get comfortable no matter what position my body rolled in to. my core body temperature fluctuated between ten hells and two dammits to jesus h. christ please find me more blankets, it is a frozen tundra in here! the base of my neck and shoulders were so tense i felt knots in my skin. somewhere around 3:30 a.m. i managed to get into a hot bath to relieve the pain.
i went to the doc-in-a-box today for the fear that this was the flu. if it was i needed to inform my co-workers to get some preventative care. though the waiting room was packed and the receptionist had the compassion of a gilla monster i was in and out in 2 hours. the doctor and the nurses were especially kind even though they were all very tired. they were running on a skeleton crew as most of their staff were also out sick.
after putting a long stick up my nose and taking blood work the results came back to reveal mycoplasmosis a.k.a. walking pneumonia. i was sent home with antibiotics, some heavy duty cough syrup, and big ole steroid shot in my booty. i’m running on fumes right now, but actually feel a little better (even though the chills have not subsided). kev is taking good care of me and has intrusted my day care to cooper (sans nurse hat).
side note: my sister-in-law, kelly, delivered my new niece kendall ellison on monday via cesarean. i was not able to see either one of them due to my illness but kev told me that though she is 10 weeks early and only 2 pounds 14 ounces she is doing quite well. kelly will be in the hospital for a few more days and kendall will be in for several more weeks. this little girl has been long awaited and is quite a blessing. i can’t wait to see her.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I used to get sick a lot with respiratory crud, flu, fever, etc. I made one significant lifestyle change and now I rarely get sick: avoiding secondhand cigarette and cigar smoke like the plague. I think it is more of a risk factor for weakening the immune system than a poor diet, stress, or not getting enough sleep. Hand washing is also a good preventative.
February 13th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
ah, there’s the rub. being a smoker myself i am in no way doing my body any favors, nor am i by hanging out in locations with tons of second hand smoke. but i am happy to report that i am working on changing both.
one suggestion you made, hand washing, is something i do obsessively. not in the i-need-a-straight-jacket obsessive, but in a i hate having dirty hands way.
thanks for the suggestions beth!
February 13th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Also take a higher quality multivitamin every day. Twinlab is an example of a good vitamin brand. Love, mom. ha ha