Sicker Than Sick Than Sick

Ughhh, I feel just AWFUL. {Or at least I did when I started writing this nearly a week ago.}

Thursday during the day I was feeling pretty run down. I had hoped that night I'd be able to rest a lot and just sleep it off. I'd been working hard all week on a promotional video shoot, and it was such a blast. I figured I'd sleep and rest over the weekend... no big deal. I figured with the increase of exercise and energy I'd had lately that I'd be okay.

But God had other plans.

{Some of this may be too much info for some of you... if easily disgusted I advise you stop reading here. This is a health-related blog after all, and I feel the need to share some of what I've been dealing with the past week.}

Within half an hour of arriving home I was having severe shakes and chills. I needed four blankets. {This is highly unusual for me... normally I'm too hot.} Within half an hour of that, I had two bad cases of diarrhea.

Then I threw up. The kind where you are pretty sure you'd just rather die or that it's soooo painful you're pretty sure you are actually going to die.

A couple more cases of diarrhea. Another vomiting session. A low-grade fever all night {99°} and all day the next day.

An attempt to take a shower {to dial down the fever} but only with the great assistance of hubster. {I truly could not be more thankful for him!!}

No medicine. No contacts. No food. Lots of water. Sensitive to noise, light, movement. In and out of sleep. Fever. Restlessness.

Saturday morning I was feeling better and was on the mend. Had a slight cough but figured it was the last part of the flu getting out of me. Finally had a dismal bit of energy. Ate a little plain rice. But alas, the cough progressed throughout the rest of the day and turned into a brutal, nasty cough by Saturday afternoon. I was feeling miserable yet again. Thankfully I was able to eat a little more later.

Sunday I stayed home from church {sad}, tried to drift off to sleep but was coughing way too much for it to work, watched some movies, had to try not to laugh or it'd send me into insane fits of coughing, drank cough syrup Tim picked up for me which really helped, and called in sick for work on Monday. I started getting pretty scared Sunday night when I was having some wheezing and difficulty breathing. Tim helped get me calmed down and reminded me that I was going to be okay, and that I seemed to be getting better from the over-the-counter meds. The nighttime cough syrup helped me sleep pretty well that night in bed and I was really thankful.

Monday felt brutally awful. Whenever I tried to speak I'd shift into horrible coughing fits. The pain from the coughing became nearly unbearable. My ribs and back were screaming at me. The Fibro was freaking out. But otherwise I was feeling better, no fever, opened a couple windows to breath fresh air, continued to drink insane amounts of fluids, had a little more energy, was able to eat more soup, and slept some here and there. I put my contacts in for the first time since taking them out Thurs night. Later in the evening Tim decided to take my temperature and it was higher than it had been before! 100.85, ugh! We did things to help bring it down and 2 hours later it was up to 100.90, double ugh! I was frustrated and feeling a bit out of sorts. I managed to work myself up quite a bit {I hate having a fever, it really puts me on edge}. I laid in the recliner with a cold cloth over my head and eyes, recited Scripture verses from memory about not fearing, sang praise songs in my head, and finally managed to calm down and drift off to sleep. I slept in the recliner all night until Tim left for work.

Tuesday morning after Tim left I woke up enough to realize I was super stiff and my body was screaming from so much time in the recliner {propped up, I cough less}, so I moved to the bed where I was able to sleep basically until 1 p.m. It was wonderful and only a few small fits of coughing! Put my contacts in, threw open a couple windows, ordered in some Chinese food {I can't miss a chance to have some egg drop soup when I'm sick}, and set in for a session of watching one of the best Christian movies of all time Facing the Giants. I was feeling better throughout the day and finally started feeling some hope that I'd see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was able to take a shower that night and could tell I didn't have a fever {finally!}. Although, taking a shower took every iota of energy I had.

Wednesday I could tell I was feeling a bit better and had some energy, so I drove in to work for a bit. Figured I'd just see how it went. I got in to work about 10 a.m. after sleeping off my drowsy medicine. Wow, the drive took all my energy and focus. I was weak and really shaky by the time I walked into the office. I made it a little over an hour and headed back home. My coworkers are so great, but none of them wanted me or my germs there either, lol. ;) So I quickly ran to Blockbuster for a couple movies and came back home to rest. And get lots of rest I did!

Thursday I was feeling better and was able to sit up, work all day from home, saved my voices and kept my germs to myself. There's not a ton of stuff happening right now at work, so I'm thankful I could do what I needed to from home.

Today I am FINALLY back at work. I slept a little extra and got to work a little before 10. It's really nice to be back at work, with my friends, and getting stuff done. I have to remember to take it slow, not to overdo it, and to not talk too much or I'll get really hoarse... but otherwise I have every hope now that I'm getting better.

Boy, this really knocked me out for the count! I lost 13 pounds this past week. Not on purpose. I hadn't eaten from Thursday lunch to Saturday afternoon. I hadn't taken any of my regular medicine until Sunday night. I look forward to getting back to all ways of normal life, including my regular 'diet' and exercise routines!! But God knew I needed this time. He taught me some things about Him, about myself, about my husband, and about my family. He gave me rest. No complaints. Just telling the story.