under the weather

October 24, 2009

Well it was bound to happen sometime or another; I got ill this week.

Diary of an illness:

Thursday:

8:00am I feel a tickle in the back of my throat, I make sure to pack my own water bottle (whatever this is I don't want the kids sharing water with me) for our morning at the potter's studio. The morning is gray and rainy, New England fall, but working with clay for 2 hours with the kids is a fun reprieve, I forget about my throat.

12:15pm We're home and I have exactly 45 minutes to prepare and eat lunch with the kids before the homeschool organizational meeting at my house. This wasn't my original plan, I don't usually schedule so much in one day but sometimes these things can't be helped.

2:15pm The ladies have all left and I am feeling rather exhausted but now I need to take the kids to the library. I had hoped to skip our visit this week but when I said as much yesterday the kids were devastated. I have to go out anyway to take care of the bank deposit for the bulk buying club.

4:30pm We're home and I'm wiped. My body aches, my head feels stuffy and I decide to check out. Feeling very grateful that the kids are old enough to care for themselves I run a hot bath and soak, soak and soak some more (let's just say I re-heated the water several times). I skim this book while soaking and when Damien arrives home (I'm still in the tub) he makes tofu noodle soup for supper; our family's version of chicken noodle, we call it "sick soup".

8:30pm After preparing my monthly buying club order that's due on Friday morning I take a cup of peppermint tea and the book I was reading earlier and go upstairs to bed. Downstairs my family watches Star Wars episode IV. At 9:30 I turn off the light and go to sleep to the sound of lightsabers and starships.

night time: Chills, sweats and lots of tissues. No fever as far as I can tell. Overall I have a decent sleep.

Friday

6:30am I get up and I feel better. Good thing too since I have committed to take a friend to the hospital one hour away for an appointment this morning. Damien is taking a personal day off of work (so thankful for his great benefits) to care of the kids while I am gone. Today I make sure to take my daily dose of vit D with breakfast.

8:00am Driving to the appointment and it's a beautiful fall day. The sunlight through the trees energizes me but I am blowing my nose and sneezing an awful lot.

10:00 I knit while I sit in an outpatient clinic waiting room. I am finally nearing the end of this project that I started way back in March. I am very careful to sneeze into my elbow and wash my hands religiously in the bathroom. Signs are everyone reminding people how not to spread germs.

12:00pm So, so thankful to be home after my morning away. I really don't like hospitals and feel emotionally drained after being around all that suffering (how do healthcare professionals do this??). Not too mention I don't like driving... oh I'm so happy to be home.

1:15pm I am making applesauce when my family arrives home with rosy cheeks and mittened hands after walking home from Daddy's lunchtime tennis game. Damien walks next door to the corner pizza shop to get the kiddos sweet potato fries for lunch. I heat up a couple cans of baked beans to "round out" the meal; neither of these is at all appealing to me but I've already eaten the leftover sick soup from supper last night.

2:00pm Getting quite tired and need a nap but first I play a couple rounds of "Guess Who" with Brienne. Feel bad that the kids aren't getting very much attention from me and I do my best to show them some love before I crash.

4:30pm Finally rouse myself from my 2 hour rest (oh that felt good). At my request Damien and Brienne bring me tea and I settle in on the bed with the kids to read to them. I feel wiped out but I can read and I enjoy this very snuggly time together; praying they don't catch whatever it is I've got.

8:30pm Behind my eyes feels so stuffy that I can barely stay awake while my family and I watch Star Wars IV, this time all together. Yes, they did just watch this the night before but I missed out so we have to watch it all together tonight.

9:30pm I crawl into bed without so much as brushing my teeth and pull the covers literally over my head (this feels better for some reason). So, so thankful that Damien is well and that he will take care of the supper dishes and tuck the kids in. I hear Brienne crying because I didn't come to her bed to kiss her but I'm truly too exhausted to care. Tonight Daddy will just have to do.

Saturday

11:00am I'm writing this diary, feeling much better than I did yesterday afternoon and evening. No more sneezes or stuffy head; I think I'm on the mend. I plan to take it easy again today, resting as necessary and drinking lots of water and tea. Although it's raining today, tomorrow promises to be sunny and hopefully I'll be well enough to be outdoors with my family.