Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Remember me ?




I spent the past week +  waiting on the banks of the River Styx for my ride.


  Or maybe I was just in my bed, too sick to go from one room to the other, again.  All I know is that I had a flu strain that carried with it a fever of about a hundred and three, such horrible coughing that it bruised my ribs, and  almost sucked the life out of me.  My joints hurt, my head hurt and my brains hurt. I couldn't function on any level. And I couldn't eat. I lost 13 pounds. Which isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but my blood sugar dropped to levels that caused me to faint in the shower.  And I was trying to eat, believe me.  It was everything I could do to choke 1/4 cups of anything down. The one thing I felt I could eat was yogurt, which is a no-no with the antibiotics. The Irishman brought me home quarts of won ton soup, which I managed. My wonderful neighbor made chicken soup with spaetzel and a baked oatmeal breakfast and a buttermilk pie (which I couldn't eat either, but the Irishman enjoyed it) and a big container of fresh chopped fruit and 2 loaves of mini-bread. Unfortunately, I couldn't eat any of it. But at least I didn't have to worry about feeding that man.

  What is happening here?  I used to be able to take a punch, as my husband affectionately tells me. And the first days I was sick, he watched Outbreak, and Contagion.  Then a cable special about the Plague. And then, on NCIS, Tony was down with the Pneumonic Plague.

  This Friday past, the fever finally broke and I was temporarily well enough to go to the doctor.  My temperature upon my arrival ? 101.4   I felt cooler, though.  lol  He gave me antibiotics for anthrax and a codeine cough syrup. Yesterday I finished the dope. Well, not the cough syrup. I can't take it much, so it will hang around a while.

  Sunday I felt much better.  Monday I felt like hell again.  Tuesday I felt better, and managed to do some housecleaning and finished up a few little jobs the Irishman started and didn't finish. It was all I could do.  Today, I feel somewhere in the middle. I did just get dressed. My stomach hurts. My head hurts. And I'm sitting on the sidelines today, for the most part. At least I can sit up at the computer and put 2 thoughts together. I had a piece of peanut butter toast and a small yogurt. And I'm having some GatorAde, which all my darling nursie friends keep telling me I need right now to get my electrolytes back in balance.  I've been drinking plenty of fluids, and this morning had the first half cup of coffee I've had in 7 days. Miraculous.  It didn't taste all that good, but it was the principle. lol

  On Monday, my son hauled me down to the PT doc to get the final shot in my knee, which was already a week late. I told them I was coming in through the back, getting the injection, and getting the hell out of Dodge. lol  It took everything I had in me to make that trip.

  OK.  I'm done, feeling like a wrung out dishrag. lol  I have high hopes that I'm on the upswing,  so keep your fingers crossed for me.  I'm laying around like a diva today. I did enough yesterday.  


TTFN, chicadees.  It's pretending to be spring out there, but I'll believe it when I see  the forsythia.



Namaste.

8 comments:

Mariodacatsmom said...

Oh dear friend, you have really had a bad case of it. I'm happy to heart that it's finally starting to leave your system tho. Yes, whenever you get something like that - drink Gatoraide. It helps replace the electrolytes (spelling ?) which have left your body while ill. Thoughts and prayers will be with you that you continue to improve.

Ashling said...

Oh wow...what a brutal time of it. Thank you for not climbing aboard the ferry! Be patient (ha!), gentle with yourself, and give yourself plenty of time to heal. Wishing you a speedy recovery from here on.

Mama Pea said...

Uh-oh, the bad germies sure got a hold of you! So sorry to hear you've been so sick. Our daughter got clobbered last week with strep throat and a bad sinus infection. Hubby and I have avoided any and all yucky stuff this past winter and early spring . . . and intend to keep doing so! (Knock-knock on wood.)

Take it easy in your recovery or you'll end up flat out again. We don't want that!

Beth said...

OH!! Annie, I am so sorry to read this. You have had a miserable time of it. I hope you are all better really soon.

HUGS!!!!

DJan said...

In a serendipitous fashion, my last post I read in Reader was entitled "Remember her?" about Dinah Shore. And then I come across yours right after, entitled "Remember me?" I had to laugh.

Until I read the post, that is. I am so sorry to hear about the awfulness you have been through, and I do hope that the "been through" is correct and that you are on the upswing. You did lose some weight, making it obvious it was important you had a little to spare! :-)

Petit fleur said...

You poor thing! I would SO make you chicken soup. In fact, I am. I am making cyber chicken soup right now! Can you smell it? It has celery and carrots and yummy noodles and and and...

I cracked up at the part where the Irishman is watching mass scale disease outbreak movies! Such a classic male thing to do.

You play up that Diva thing as long as you can or at least until you are totally well.
Sending healthy wishes your way...
xo m

Mary LA said...

Hope you're feeling better now Annie. Love that Irishman.

Carol said...

Wave your flag if you're still there!