Happy Friday everyone! I wanted to share all of these beautiful things I keep seeing around the blog world, but unfortunately the days crept up (and crept by) and I haven’t been able to. Always next week though! (Huge apology to everyone who has called, emailed and written. I promise I love you all and will get back to you all soon!) To hold you all over, I thought I’d describe how these past few days have gone in our household because (at least to me) it’s pretty entertaining.
About 16 days ago I woke up with a stuffy/runny nose. Despite multiple anatomy classes and a pharmacist to be husband, no one can really tell me how my nose can be congested and running like a faucet at the exact same time. Yea yea, I know how mucus is produced, I understand the whole inflammation thing etc, but it still baffles me.
Being stubborn (i.e. me.) I said to myself, “Self, this is just a cold. School is back in session, germs are running rampant, and this will soon be over soon. Plus, it’s a virus and antibiotics don’t so ANYTHING for a virus.” I poured a huge glass of juice, took an ibuprofen and went about my day.
Fast forward to roughly 5 days later. I feel a little better. I go to lunch and shopping with a friend, drink a lot of fluids, keep up with gargling, take my OTC meds and I’m feeling kind of great. If great means that I can barely walk for longer than an hour before feeling wiped out and constantly have to have a tissue in my hand.
Pretty sure my mom called around this day and I told her not to worry. Something about how I will beat it. She tells me it’s mind over matter, but to take it easy just in case because my Aunt has been battling something for over a week that sounds pretty similar.
We go to an 80’s party despite my “condition” mostly because we have awesome costumes and have been looking forward to it for awhile, but come home “early”- if you call early almost 1am on a Thursday early- because I start to feel really nauseous and dizzy.
Wake up Friday and have my body says “Hey, I made you come home early from a party, you’re dizzy, have a fever, and still can’t really control your runny/stuffy nose without tons of medicine. You should stay in bed.” I tell my body to shut up, I’m fine, and try and get some work done. We go out with friends that night, wake up early the next day to watch UGA (sadly lose again) and by 3pm I am “napping.”
Around 5ish, J. leaves for a concert with his brother (it was his birthday present) and I am pretty unaware of the massive war being fought inside my body as I settle down into the couch with 3 magazines and the remote. Sure I still have a headache and little congestion, but hell yes I’m beating this cold! That nap really worked! I’m feeling so much better! (side note to my readers. I have NEVER beaten a cold. You’d think I’d learn, but no.) Somewhere in between learning to retile a backsplash (thank you HGTV) and a romantic comedy, my body tells me I need to sleep. Like RIGHT then. I pass out into a very unattractive nap only to wake up with the most painful sore throat EVER.
Still refuse to admit I’m really that sick and try to reason with myself that it’s just because I slept with my mouth open (horrible habit, but can’t really control it. I have never really been one of those girls who looks “beautiful” while they sleep… sadly this has led to some very unattractive road trip photos of me.) I pour another glass of juice and take a sip to try and soothe my dry throat when I am hit with the most horrible pain. My throat is fighting back with me and has turned my nice cool V8 splash into a liquid form of barbed wire. Okay, maybe I am really sick.
That night ends with me sitting in front of the refrigerator (with the door open of course) trying to figure out what I can eat that I a) do not have to cook and b) won’t hurt my throat. I settle for a chocolate pudding cup and a strawberry yogurt. (Isn’t there something about strawberries being a cleansing fruit? Does it count when they are made of high fructose corn syrup?) Oh and for dessert-a Sudafed, 2 ibuprofen, a lozenge (or eight) and some more V8 splash. I slap on some Vic’s Vapo Rub, gargle some salt water and go to bed.
(side note mental picture. Sometime within the next 4 days we run out of food- since I haven't been shopping in 2 weeks- and I have to go to the farmers market. I'm standing in front on the tea aisle because I was advised to drink tea to soothe my throat and I am overwhelmed. I don't drink tea and I am super confused by the amount of choices. I can't stop sneezing, I actually can see the mothers directing their children out of my path, and I'm at a toss up between respiratory health tea and cold remedy tea since I can't find green tea and it's really the only one I like. But I like it cold and that defeats the reason for me buying the tea in the first place. Anyhow. I decided on cold remedy and make a cup as soon as I get home. 1/2 through something that while not gross, still reminds me of drinking weeds- this is how all tea tastes to me- J. wonders out loud what ingredient makes it bad for pregnant women and infants and begins looking up the "natural ingredients." Being a worrier I immediately start to freak out thinking I'm drinking something that is going to kill me (despite not being pregnant or an infant) which ruins all the soothing effects I originally bought the tea for. The box- missing only 1 bag- is still sitting on the counter because I'm too afraid to drink anymore.*)
This brings me to about 4 days ago. My virus is gone, but it’s most likely killed by the massive amount of bacteria that have set up camp in my body. Even worse, my husband, Mr. “I have an awesome immune system and rarely catch colds” has officially caught whatever is breeding inside of me and is miserable. Of course he is way less stubborn and went to the doctor, was diagnosed with a sinus infection and given antibiotics. As he takes his first pill, he tells me to suck it up and go get medicine.** My body has lost the battle.
So after a (very pleasant) trip to CVS’s minute clinic (highly recommend them- esp. since they accept our insurance and basically all insurance plans) I finally admit that I have a sinus infection and need antibiotics. Well, “admit” is a loose term. The NP basically said there was no way I can fight this on my own so I better take antibiotics if I want to feel better.
I am now on day 4 of a 5 day antibiotic plan. I’m also taking tons of cold medicines that make me forget exactly where the walls are and what day of the week it is (I’m the 1% who experiences pretty much all of the non life threatening side affects.) Hence I haven’t really been writing much, or really doing much of anything besides working from bed or the couch. The fog seems to be clearing though so yay!! I can’t wait to be back to 100%.
See you all on Monday!! Hope you have a great weekend!
* it has licorice or something, which apparently is a stimulant- which pregnant women and babies can't have. still. haven't had a cup since.
**I will say that J. has pretty amazing despite the fact I gave him a horrible virus bug thing. We were sitting on the couch watching one of the hundreds of movies we’ve seen over the past few days when, after a sneezing fit (seriously, like 7 seizure like sneezes in a row) followed by a pretty unattractive nose blowing/overly dramatic gasping for air performance by yours truly he simply got up, brought me more juice and said, “Sweetie. You are absolutely gorgeous.” I pretty much melted. And then sneezed. Again.