So, apologies for the lack of posting going on around here, but I've spent the last four days lying in my bed watching so much Teen Mom, Intervention, and Taboo, I'm now convinced there are fewer sane people in the world than batshit crazy.
I kind of knew I would get sick after two weeks of crazy travel following two months of nonstop ridiculousness. I'd pretty much even banked on it, and given myself a nice little week-long cushion of no plans before January cranked back into gear.
What I didn't anticipate: standing in line at jury duty last week and feeling it. You know it. That sudden, sweaty exhaustion that hits you like a freight train. That moment where you realize, I need to lie down, right now, immediately. The kind of thing they design those signs for on subways: "If you are feeling ill, please contact a [socially-acceptable word for subway worker] immediately."
I fought it, though. Boy, did I ever. I took myself home, made myself some Immune Tea (a special blend of herbal tea, lemon, honey, and the apple cider vinegar with the alien "Mother" floating in it) and took it easy. But, two days later, it became apparent that whatever sickness it was, was not going to be fended off so easily.
I finally dragged myself out of bed one morning a couple of days later, realizing that after 10 hours of sleep I still felt bone-exhausted, and went to the doctor's. Diagnosis: sinus and double ear infections. They loaded me up with antibiotics (for the infection) and steroids (for the inflammation) and sent me home.
Note: I am not a fan of antibiotics and steroids. They are a last resort for me, when all of the homeopathic options have failed. Neti pots, vitamins, plenty of sleep, nutritious eating, and echinacea are excellent for prevention. But once that infection takes hold: I want drugs. Strong ones.
For the first time in years, it took until Day 4 of antibiotics until I felt human again. Usually 24 hours of the strong stuff in my system will turn me right around. No so, this time. I went to half-days of work, skipped trivia, and laid in bed for hours upon hours. The cats were overjoyed at my sudden over-presence whereas only a bit before, I'd been mysteriously missing for two weeks. (Which, to them, is like a month or something.)
I went through boxes of lotion-laced tissues, drank an entire box of Immune tea, nearly emptied a bottle of apple cider vinegar, and subsisted on soup and oatmeal. I was sick.
What turned it around, finally? Two things:
1. Good old-fashioned exercise. And by that, I mean I forced myself onto an elliptical for 45 minutes, sweated more than I did running the half marathon, and then stuck myself in the steam shower at the gym for 10 minutes to sweat and snot and get everything out of me. It was disgusting. And awesome.
2. Mucinex. The high-grade stuff they keep behind the counter. The kind you have to show ID for.
I finally woke up feeling somewhat human this morning, with only a lingering barking cough and feeling as though my head is only halfway dunked into a bucket of water as opposed to full submersion.
So, suffice to say, blogging shall commence once I have fumigated my room and put my life back together. I can't remember the last time I spent four days in bed. And while I got a lot done (if you consider reading chick lit and watching reality television productive), it's going to be slow progress back to my regular break-neck speed. My friend, Princess, says that sicknesses like these force you to stop, to slow down, and to get exactly what your body needs. Apparently what my body needed was to be flat-out on its back for four days. And drink a lot of tea. And eat a lot of Amy's Organic Soups. And have The Gentleman buy me gourmet chocolate bars with things like wasabi and chili peppers in them. He's the best.
Back on my feet. Sort of.
The most distressing thing: I am now two weeks behind in half marathon training. More than that, really, considering I couldn't get out more than 3 miles this morning without that awful chest-burning, hacking nonsense. Gonna be a long way back to recovery.
Ah, well. It was all worth it.
I kind of knew I would get sick after two weeks of crazy travel following two months of nonstop ridiculousness. I'd pretty much even banked on it, and given myself a nice little week-long cushion of no plans before January cranked back into gear.
What I didn't anticipate: standing in line at jury duty last week and feeling it. You know it. That sudden, sweaty exhaustion that hits you like a freight train. That moment where you realize, I need to lie down, right now, immediately. The kind of thing they design those signs for on subways: "If you are feeling ill, please contact a [socially-acceptable word for subway worker] immediately."
I fought it, though. Boy, did I ever. I took myself home, made myself some Immune Tea (a special blend of herbal tea, lemon, honey, and the apple cider vinegar with the alien "Mother" floating in it) and took it easy. But, two days later, it became apparent that whatever sickness it was, was not going to be fended off so easily.
I finally dragged myself out of bed one morning a couple of days later, realizing that after 10 hours of sleep I still felt bone-exhausted, and went to the doctor's. Diagnosis: sinus and double ear infections. They loaded me up with antibiotics (for the infection) and steroids (for the inflammation) and sent me home.
Note: I am not a fan of antibiotics and steroids. They are a last resort for me, when all of the homeopathic options have failed. Neti pots, vitamins, plenty of sleep, nutritious eating, and echinacea are excellent for prevention. But once that infection takes hold: I want drugs. Strong ones.
For the first time in years, it took until Day 4 of antibiotics until I felt human again. Usually 24 hours of the strong stuff in my system will turn me right around. No so, this time. I went to half-days of work, skipped trivia, and laid in bed for hours upon hours. The cats were overjoyed at my sudden over-presence whereas only a bit before, I'd been mysteriously missing for two weeks. (Which, to them, is like a month or something.)
I went through boxes of lotion-laced tissues, drank an entire box of Immune tea, nearly emptied a bottle of apple cider vinegar, and subsisted on soup and oatmeal. I was sick.
What turned it around, finally? Two things:
1. Good old-fashioned exercise. And by that, I mean I forced myself onto an elliptical for 45 minutes, sweated more than I did running the half marathon, and then stuck myself in the steam shower at the gym for 10 minutes to sweat and snot and get everything out of me. It was disgusting. And awesome.
2. Mucinex. The high-grade stuff they keep behind the counter. The kind you have to show ID for.
I finally woke up feeling somewhat human this morning, with only a lingering barking cough and feeling as though my head is only halfway dunked into a bucket of water as opposed to full submersion.
So, suffice to say, blogging shall commence once I have fumigated my room and put my life back together. I can't remember the last time I spent four days in bed. And while I got a lot done (if you consider reading chick lit and watching reality television productive), it's going to be slow progress back to my regular break-neck speed. My friend, Princess, says that sicknesses like these force you to stop, to slow down, and to get exactly what your body needs. Apparently what my body needed was to be flat-out on its back for four days. And drink a lot of tea. And eat a lot of Amy's Organic Soups. And have The Gentleman buy me gourmet chocolate bars with things like wasabi and chili peppers in them. He's the best.
Back on my feet. Sort of.
The most distressing thing: I am now two weeks behind in half marathon training. More than that, really, considering I couldn't get out more than 3 miles this morning without that awful chest-burning, hacking nonsense. Gonna be a long way back to recovery.
Ah, well. It was all worth it.
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