Finally Grown Up

It had to happen sometime. 

I am finally a responsible mature adult!

  Glad it happened at the grand old age of 72.

  I would hate to have gone through my whole life and never reached that state.

It took a Flu bug back in April 2019 to force this evolution upon me.  It was that illness that made me realize I wasn't made of steel - that a little tiny virus, randomly planted in my system, irresponsibly ignored and in the end, allowed to spread to its full potential in me, and then in my husband, and in who knows how many others when I was acting like I was indestructible ... that tiny virus could be very very distructive.  I was sent to the ER by a local minute clinic because my throat was so bad - and my eyes were blood red - that they feared I would have a respiratory obstruction if left untreated!  Of course, that immature person who is actually made of clay had to sleep with cold packs on her throat for TWO WHOLE NIGHTS before she thought of seeking help from that minute clinic.  Too stupid rather than immature ...  was the real problem.

And I can hear the question - did you get your flu shot last year?  Yes, I did.  The flu that I got was not part of the flu shot cocktail for season 2018-2019!  But as my daughter-in-law said (she has a doctorate in Biology and works in the Bio-tech industry) - the flu shot didn't protect me from Type A flu - but it did reduce the severity of my illness.  God help me if I hadn't had that flu shot.)

This winter season I have carried this newly matured me to the opposite end of the pendulum.  I went from "Oh well, oh hum, I am sick. No problem. Keep on going" ... to  ..."Listen up Stupid.  This is a warning shot over your bough.  It can be something serious if you ignore it."

It started with a runny nose and a killer sore throat on Monday morning.  My April 2019 flu began exactly the same way.  Out came the thermometer!  It wasn't working. So bought a new and improved one right away.  One of flu's hallmark symptoms is fever.  I began checking my temperature.  Was checking it every 30 minutes too much?  haha!  I looked in the mirror at my new adult self and said yes.  So I checked it every 60 minutes on Monday. (Probably still too much but I wasn't going to miss that 48 hour window when an anti-viral medication would give the best fighting chance of beating a flu bug.)  Twenty-four hours later - still no fever.  (And no, I didn't get up every hour over night to check my temperature.  I did think about setting an alarm, however.  Ha!! After another conversation with my reflected self in the mirror decided it would be counterproductive.)

I have the very best conversations with myself! 

Probably not mentally normal, but that is for another post. 

😊

I did other things too.  I didn't take any cold or pain meds in the first 24 hours.  I wanted to watch that little bug's progression in real time through my body rather than trying to judge what was going on through a mask of medications.  That was a big change for me.  I really believe in medicinal fixes if there is a fix!  I love living in the 21st century when modern medicine can help reduce or cure many problems.  But I held off to let the possibility of a fever show its face.  I also pushed lots of ice water ... and, of course, I had my medicinal chocolate milk shake.  That felt so good on my painful throat.  If you are unsure what a medicinal chocolate milk shake is - check out this post.

Then I started canceling all my commitments for the next 2 or 3 days until I could figure out exactly what I was dealing with.  I was not going to spread this around even if it was just a cold on family and friends or even total strangers.  How's that for mature!!

Finally, and most importantly, I rested and rested and rested.  I actually listened to my body that said

"Stop moving, for God's Sake. 

I am sending you the 'fatigue' signal. 

You know fatigue is another flu symptom.

I can't get you well AND keep on going like I have done in the past."

  

That was probably the BIGGEST change of all.  The former steel-made me would have just kept going, and going, and going!!  After all - not giving in has always worked for me - until it didn't in April 2019.  But in the past I was never 72!  I didn't have a body that was 'less' due to age.

So the outcome??  

As of this writing four days out

my throat is still somewhat sore but improving,
my nose is still a little runny but improving
and no fever!

My energy is returning.

 This is not the Flu!

Hahaha!  How is that for a blow-by-blow of a simple cold!

I am treating this episode as a 'dress rehearsal' so when the real thing comes along - I am ready!  And the real thing can be darn scary.  As I was writing this post I had the radio on.  They reported that a 16 year old in my area had just died from the flu.  That 16 year old had been seen in the emergency room on a Sunday and died at home on a Wednesday.  Sixteen years old - folks - with a normal immune system, and bursting with health and youth, just her lost the battle against a small flu virus!  

I am finally grown up - better late than never.    

Listen to your body and take care of yourself!

It is a war out there and some of us are losing!

Get your flu shot!  

It is never too late.

Medical Disclaimer:

This post is not meant to be medical advice.  

Check with your doctor to see if the flu shot is right for you!  

But ME is telling you:

Checking with your doctor is just the right and mature thing to do.

  Don't assume you are made of steel.

  No one is - not even if you are only 16 years old.

Head Cold

So ... let the winter 'bugs' officially begin their romp through my immune system - (even though we are technically a few weeks away from the first day of winter.)

😷😷😷😷😷

Last year I had a grand total of 5 colds of various descriptions.  It was a record number for me for one season.  And just to top things off with a grand flourish, in April I got the flu despite getting the senior flu vax.  Spring was in full swing, sun was shining, flowers blooming, temperatures exquisite - and I was down with the flu.  Not a touch of the flu either (is there such an 'animal'?) but the full-blown 2 to 3 week variety that actually landed me in the ER at one point so we could get my swollen throat under control and avoid airway obstruction kind-of-flu!!!

Yeah ...  believe me, I was glad to see the end of that cold and flu season.

Fast forward to this merry month of December!

Symptoms began on Sunday and I chalked it up to allergies.  By Monday I was sure it wasn't allergies but the beginnings of a head cold.  Oh Joy!  It isn't even winter yet.  No fair starting early.  I kept going with my to-do list - except I cancelled my night out with friends.  Friends don't make other friends sick - especially when the friends you are seeing are all around your own senior age!

Today, Tuesday, I got up at my normal time and decided... hey, this head cold isn't advancing - it is just stuck in my sinuses.  It is pretty much the same as yesterday.  Great news!  Really!! I had breakfast and then decided to lay down for just a bit before getting dress.  I awoke at 12:30.  Yikes!  I got up, got dressed, had lunch and answered some email, and before you know it, it felt like nap time again!  Literally I was standing for about 15 minutes and sitting the rest of the time.  Another nap was ridiculous.  I cancelled today's activities.

I did think b*tching about this cold was not ridiculous.  So here I am.  I cancelled tomorrow's activities.  Being pro-active.

This minor cold counts officially as Cold #1 of the season.

One down, four to go.  

I think I will skip the flu this season. 
I wish I had thought of doing that last year!!

My 2019-2020 goal: Skip the Flu.

Like a Brick

Even included some snotty tissues for the picture.
😃

That is what my head feels like!  A brick.

Warning!
Approach this post with a face mask and Lysol Wipes!

This has been the year - or season - of 'The Cold' for me.
A ridiculous year, truly.
Although getting a cold is not something I normally think is blog worthy ...
I must be on my 5th or 6th cold since September.

I should buy stock in all cold related products!

This cold so far - has stuck to my sinuses only.  At least so far.
Some times my head is so stopped up no air passes through my nostrils, but my nose
drips all the same.  What the heck is THAT!

I have had all versions - sinuses and chest congestion, sinuses and ear congestion, sinuses only.
 I think that is the scope of most cold viruses.
And for some reason they last for weeks.

My hope is that I will have exhausted all the possible cold viruses by spring.
My immune system will be super hero strong.

No flu yet this season - but I got a shot for that - so fingers crossed.

I got the Shingles Shots as well this season - there are two.
The first made me feel icky for about 12 hours ...
but not as icky as when I had Shingles!
That was beyond icky and it last for over 2 weeks.

So how are YOU feeling??

😫

So far so good

The Vomiting Queen seems to have missed this little bug that showed its ugly head in my house Monday night - at least so far.  One night I felt queasy, but it is hard to know if I was fighting off a virus or just talking myself into being sick.

I hate that kind of GI upset - it makes you just want to lay down and die.  So hopefully I haven't jinxed myself by talking about it.  If I get through tonight (72 hours), I will consider that I missed that bullet.

I did, however, make some really interesting discoveries since Monday night.

Because no one wants to be sick or around someone who is sick ... or might be sick soon, I cancelled my life - trying to stay away from people and waiting out the incubation period.  And big chunks of my days opened up.   Wow, it felt odd.  I kept thinking - is this what if feels like to be only responsible for me?   I discovered I had time for things like walking, picking up my house, cleaning, weaving, reading.  I struggle getting that stuff into my day at times.

Next week I will joyfully return to my regular schedule (hope my dear grand dogs don't forget who grandma is.)

Old picture of the boys - Milo on the left is at least as big as Grimace on the right.

Waiting my turn.

So we are sick!

Well, at least my husband is.  I am waiting my turn.

You know the drill!  One person starts vomiting and everyone else thinks it is such a fun idea that they start doing it too!  (Not!)

Anyway, as soon as he got sick I could see the writing on the wall.  At some point I would be next, laying in bed wishing for death.  So I ran out to the store while I still could, got stuff needed to weather this bug, and then came home and made chicken soup.  I paid mom's bills that had been waiting.  I picked up around the house. I cloroxed all the surfaces he touched.  I washed my hands dozens of  times.

I am ready!

I am sticking pretty close to home right now.  Maybe I can get caught up on my blogging and my reading.

Just hoping I didn't bring this bug out to mom on Monday when I took her to a dentist appointment.  The last time this bug hit our family she wound up in the hospital on IV fluids and stayed 4 days.  It was the beginning of a very bad year health wise for her.

Fingers crossed.

Back Mostly ... But

So I am returned! Mostly.

The shingles eruption is mostly resolved. The shingles pain is reduced and mostly controlled.

So mostly I am better!

The lingering pain is tolerable - the skin feels like a sun burn and the underlying tissues feel like pulled muscles when I move. These symptoms may fade with time - or not. But if not, I think it is manageable.

So the lesson to be learned?

If you get shingles,

get medical help sooner rather than later

- like within 72 hours of the eruption.

Slipping off the grid for a bit

I think I will be going blog-quiet for a period. Not even walking to move my little person for a week or so.

A week ago I started with a some shingles on my torso. The last episode of shingles was about 30 years ago. As painful and itchy as this is, 30 years seems like a good span between episodes!! And now one week into this, the symptoms are pretty intense.

Anyway, I have been seen by the doctor who said I waited too long (you know, being a long suffering and stupid person that I am), for the meds they have to be really effective (even though I am on them now). Meds should be started within 72 hours of the outbreak and I waited a week!! So I am left with feeling miserable.

So no walking or blogging until I am feeling better.

If anyone knows of a way to lesson the symptoms let me know.

Return from the brink!

Well, I've been gone a bit - but not sitting idle. Not idle at all.

Just as I was beginning to feel like I might not die, and just after having the first full night sleep in 3 days, and just as I was taking off my lucky socks - so I could wash them ... my mom got the same stomach-flu-crud I had. At 84 years of age, this virus was especially cruel to her. Within 4 hours of becoming ill, I had her rushed to the ER by ambulance. She had fainted from the virulent nature of this virus.

She spent 4 days in the hospital and was discharge Friday night. Now - Sunday night - she is still very weak and has no appetite. But she is eating somewhat regularly and today we started getting her to walk around the top floor of our town home. Physical Therapy starts next week.

Mom and I were not the only causalities. My husband started getting sick while mom and I were on our way to the ER. That night I stopped by home to see how he was. He said that he had passed out as well, in the bathroom. He was very lucky to have not hit his head. No one else was here for him.

My dear daughter who stayed an extra day to help out while I was confined to bed, was "rewarded" by getting this virus as well. My sister, brother-in-law, and niece also got very sick.

Since coming home I have been cleaning and cloroxing everything. I know it doesn't really make that much difference, but it makes me feel better to know it is clean. Mom's rooms and bathroom looked like a war zone when we got home on Friday night - we had no time to clean up or pick up once the EMT's arrived on Tuesday morning so the space felt filled with sickness. I spent alot of time cleaning the house, but focused on her spaces - stripping the bedding, steam cleaning the carpet, wiping all the surfaces down, cloroxing her bathroom. I sincerely wish that I could just open my windows for about 2 hours to air the house out. Not happening at 32 degrees outside, but if I was the only person here - I would open the windows and just wear my coat for awhile.

So now it is a race toward Christmas. I have lost a week of preparation. Maybe this is just God's way of slowing me down, pointing out that I don't need to do all the little holiday details to have a happy holiday. I am not being critical, of course, but he could have taken a less dramatic way of getting the message to me. Being pretty hard-headed, maybe a message just short of killing me was required. I would have preferred, however, that he kept this between me and him - rather than dragging my mother into it. :-)

Lots of stuff have fallen off my to-do list this month. At the top of my list is getting mom back on her feet and strong again. That would make my holiday joyful.

PS - wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands ...