Maybe You Should Stay Home….

I woke up this past Saturday morning with itchy eyes and a stuffy nose. Allergies, of course. No more Claritin in the house, of course.

My guy and I decided there was no better way to spend a rainy Saturday morning in paradise than to shop every aisle at CVS. I needed the allergy meds. He needed light bulbs. I could always use a deck of playing cards at my bar. He might as well grab some paper towels. I held a giant bag of Skittles in my hand for just a second and put it back. He decided the lobster net was a bit much to buy at a drug store. In these parts, however, CVS is more is like the mall than just a drug store.

By Saturday night, when I was well into a busy shift at work, I wondered why my eyes felt like the pressure of the world was upon them. By the time I was closing, I decided my allergies were masquerading as a head cold, and it could go away any time.

I woke up Sunday morning aching and congested. Well, it would be a quiet shift that night. I could deal with it. Nothing Dayquil wouldn’t masque for a shift. But when my guy and I wandered over to my pool in the afternoon, and I couldn’t swim because, as I told him, “The water hurts my skin,” we both decided to not state the obvious: I was pretty sick.

By Sunday evening, I was shaking and miserable, and no amount of Tylenol was helping. My girlfriend brought me a sweatshirt and Theraflu at work. Then she made me a toddy, which almost made me throw up. An hour and a half before we were supposed to close, I was asleep, head down in my arms, at my own bar.

“Last call,” I mumbled, when I startled awake.

“What? It’s so early,” complained one of my least favorite regulars.

“She’s sick, Dennis!” whispered his wife.

“Sick? She’s not sick. What, too much partying RG?”

I don’t get sick. I may get a cold now and then. No big deal. I had a sore throat thing this summer that lasted a day and a half. Nothing to it. Beyond that, it’s been years and years since I was sick enough to stay home, or since I needed to go home early. The only really bad time I could conjure was a Type A flu Mr. RG and I had at the same time some multiple decades ago. That lasted 10 days and was horrible. This ailment was beginning to feel eerily familiar to that one.

“Last call, Dennis, sorry. I gotta close,” I told the complainer. Go drink your next ten drinks at home I wanted to scream at him, but didn’t, of course. My head was on fire, so talking–much less screaming–was out of the question.

The rest scurried out, one or two muttering, “Feel better, RG.”

“Save yourselves while you can,” I tried to smile. I was too sick to actually smile, however.

I barely remember closing. I barely remember getting home. I do remember my guy saying at one point later in the night, “You’re burning up,” as I cringed with pain when he touched my forehead and then my hand. I remember wondering how much Nyquil would constitute an overdose since the usual dose wasn’t touching any of my symptoms.

My boss called the next morning and said the shifts were pieced together and not to come in. I thanked him just before I started coughing. Then I coughed for the next 48 hours whenever I talked to anyone. My stomach and sides and back hurt from so much coughing.

My guy brought me food I couldn’t eat, juice I did drink, and company that was comforting, although I was swilling so much Nyquil, I slept through most of the time he was there. I think he watched a dozen or so movies. When he was at work and I was comatose in my room, I ended up watching a station that did a “My Fair Wedding” marathon before launching into another marathon of “The Golden Girls.” Both shows were somehow oddly appealing in my pathetic fevered state.

“I covered the next two days for you,” said my boss when he called the next day. “Now, I want you to get to a doctor. I’ll take you and I’ll even pay for it, okay? But I am really worried about this flu you have and you need to go!”

I told him I agreed that seeing a doctor wasn’t sounding like too bad an idea at this point, and that while he didn’t need to take me or pay for it, I could use the name of a doctor, since I didn’t have one down here. Two hours later I was being told by a very nice family practice doc what I already knew: You have the flu. Here’s some serious cough medicine. Don’t go back to work until the fever is gone. No, it doesn’t seem like Swine Flu. Just flu. A nasty one.”

And so, five days later, here’s where I stand:

Sore from coughing a cough that sounds surreal. Fever down to 99 from a high of 102. No booze or smokes for four days. A sudden hankering an hour ago for ice cream with chopped up bananas and berries over it. I think I am finally turning the corner on this thing.


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16 responses to “Maybe You Should Stay Home….”

  1. savannah Avatar

    we are our own worse enemies, sugar! i was doing the claritin, nyquil, OTC drugs, etc until the MITM (aka the husband) made me go to the doc – good thing, too – where i was treated with breathing therapy, xrays, a gazillion real drugs all because i had bronchitis which as the doc said probably would have turned into pneumonia. *sigh* glad y’all are feeling better. xoxox

  2. JOY Avatar
    JOY

    OH MAN, now I want some ice cream with chopped up bananas and berries. Glad you’re finally feeling somewhat human. Love your blog!

  3. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Glad it is on its way out. That ice cream sounds like just the thing and um-your guy? Did I miss a blog?

  4. Sophia Avatar

    aww, RG, i’m glad you’ve started to feel better and hope you completely recover soon!

  5. Courtney Avatar
    Courtney

    I was home from work today with a low grade fever and aching. Sorry you had it so much worse. I laugh at these people that are sick for a couple of days and say they had the flu. When you have the flu you KNOW it. and it lasts a hell of alot longer. How did the doc know it wasn’t the Swine flu? Hope you continue to improve. Thank your Guy for helping you out.
    Courtney

  6. Thomas (VetPsychWars) Avatar
    Thomas (VetPsychWars)

    Wait, what? Your guy?

    Hope you feel better.

  7. L. Avatar

    aw RG…hoping you’re feeling much better, you definitely have suffered to the limit … I have a 16 year old that came home two days ago “Mom, how long does it take to get food poisoning?” …yeah, we all have the achy breaky sleepy kind of flu now. The easy kind compared to yours … you get the Princess Crown for bravery!

  8. anon Avatar
    anon

    Glad your starting to feel better! Next time don’t wait so lon g before you see a doctor!

  9. Restaurant Gal Avatar
    Restaurant Gal

    Savannah–Yep, doc said to take antibiotics starting Saturday if the cough didn’t go away by then. But I am mending, slowly. Hope you are too. This was a bad, bad flu.

    Joy–I am attempting to navigate the store today for ice cream and fruit.

    Sarah–Thanks. No, you didn’t miss any posts. Just haven’t written anything about this nice guy. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Sophia–Thanks, trying. Weak as hell, but getting there.

    Courtney–Yeah, if you have to wonder, “Is this a cold or the flu?” it’s not the flu. I feel like a train ran me over–twice.

    Thomas–Mending as best I can. Wish it was faster. As for the other comment, all is good here in RG land.

    L–I am sure no flu is “easy.” Rest up. As for bravery–ha! I was just dumb enough to think all I had was a cold.

    anon–I actually only waited a few days. I was too sick before then to get myself to a doc! All is healing now. Thanks.

  10. joeinvegas Avatar

    I’ve got two bins of blueberries, and tubs of peach and black cherry ice cream. Which would you prefer?

  11. Kim Ayres Avatar

    Doesn’t sound like any kind of fun. Fortunately my own ‘feeling like death would be preferable’ illness was past its worst within 36 hours and I’m pretty much fine now.

    Glad you’re feeling better ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. Deanna Avatar

    Oh my! Feel better real soon! (I know that ice cream will help. I always know I’m getting better when I start craving Lay’s potato chips.)

  13. Connie Avatar
    Connie

    Sarah
    I was thinking the same thing. Going back over entries to see what I missed.

  14. kgrrrl Avatar

    All i heard was ‘my guy’ ๐Ÿ™‚
    That’s awesome.
    Glad you have someone to care for you

  15. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    I’d love to interview you for an article about servers I’m working on for a national magazine. Please check your gmail account for my contact info. Thanks!

  16. Mikepete Avatar
    Mikepete

    Isn’t it weird to get sick like that when you live in a warm weather place?? I will never get over that. But come to think of it-I never got the flu until I moved to Las Vegas!!
    {{{ Sending healthy vibes your way!!! }}}