Sick Widow

***Warning:  This is gross.***

I am pretty lucky in that I don't get sick very often.  Yes, I have bad allergies and that does lead to sinus infections and/or bronchitis about once a year but I don't really count that as I expect it and it doesn't usually knock me down for days.  I manage the allergies with an over-the-counter medication (currently Zyrtec-D) and when need be, I get antibiotics for the other respiratory "stuff" that comes along.  I never get a flu shot-I hate needles and I rarely get flu sick.

It is a good thing I rarely get flu sick as I have decided that is quite possibly the loneliest thing in the world.  After my ordeal on Wednesday with the weeds, I ended up with either the flu or food poisoning.  I do not recommend pulling a rib muscle and then throwing up every 1/2 hour for 8 hours straight.  I had it coming out both ends and got to the point where I wanted to cry when the urge hit as I didn't think I could possibly have anything left in me.  I was wrong.  I swear my vomit was vomiting and I was throwing up things I ate three weeks ago.  (It's pretty sad when in the process of throwing up you find yourself wondering when you last had pasta sauce).

When I called in sick to work, I had only been at it for 5 hours and I was pretty freaked out at that point.  I left a message for the first person who arrives at work and asked her to call me-I wanted to be sure I wasn't dying.  (Although later in the day, there came a point where if it hadn't been for my boys I would have seriously considered welcoming death). 

I am not one that likes to be hovered over when I am sick.  I have always said when I don't feel good just leave me alone to die in peace.  But that was when there was someone around-first my parents, then my sorority sisters and then after a spell of no one, James-who would know if I did just that.  Being sicker than I have been in longer than I can remember with no one around was a very lonely feeling.  I am blessed however with a wonderful co-worker and boss who called several times to check on me.  (THANK YOU A!!!)  I didn't want to be hovered over, but it would have been really nice after (at the time) 5 hours worth of trips to the bathroom if someone else could have done the morning routine of taking out and feeding the dogs.  Walking downstairs and through the house just took too much energy and didn't happen when they would have liked it to!  It was easier to take care of their needs when I relocated to the couch, which I attempted to do for two hours before finally succeeding.

Friday I was feeling a lot better but still nowhere near 100% so I spent the morning working from home and a chunk of the afternoon taking a nap.  Being that I wasn't prepared for this, I didn't really have much "sick food" in the house, but decided to try some noodles.  (All I ate for two days was a piece of dry toast, 1/2 a muffin and 1/3 bowl of noodles-and yet I somehow gained weight???)  I decided to cook them in chicken broth instead of water (which made them too salty) and as I was doing this and making some Jello, I found myself thinking it was a good thing I had some extra liquid food left over from when I had my colonoscopy.  There's a thought you don't have everyday and one I hope to never have again.  I really wanted a red slushy but didn't risk running to the store, even though it is only 1/2 mile away.  I was also out of Gatorade and very dehydrated, but that issue was resolved when NLNG came over to watch a movie and brought me some.  Although I stopped throwing up around 8:30 Thursday morning, it was about 5:00 Saturday afternoon when I was finally able to keep food "in."

I am feeling much better and am hopefully set in the flu department for the next couple of years.  I have also decided I am not meant to do yard work and am calling to see if I can work out something with my former yard service (NLNG thought food poisoning was the likely culprit or at least more plausible than "God clearly doesn't want me to do yard work," though he could see how I came to that conclusion).  And hopefully the next time this happens I will no longer be alone just in case I want someone to take care of me after all-or at the very least, run to the store and get me a slushy.