Sick Days
"What a difference it makes in the world when you don't have a headache and you don't feel like s***."
- Wise words from my sister.
Like. Flies.
You know what's not fun?
Being sick.
Yes, yes, I know. That's the single most profound thing I've said in months. Thank you.
After my granddad's bout with influenza A, other family members started dropping like flies. A cousin. My dad, who tested positive early last week. Then my mom, who managed to escape for a few days but apparently not completely. And then my aunt, uncle, and cousin who also live out at the ranch.
Like. Flies.
I was paranoid. I'd been at the hospital and around each of these people. Then Tuesday came and I had a sore throat ... and Wednesday was worse.
So I quarantined myself for a couple days, just to be on the safe side. No need to let that madness spread, and since the flu can be passed basically by looking at someone who's contagious ... yeah.
I'd forgotten, apparently, what it's like to be sick when you're an adult.
Does that makes sense? When you're a kid, if you're not too sick, it's almost fun. You stay home from school, eat Jello and crackers, maybe even get a 7-Up out of the deal. You get to stay in your pajamas and watch crappy daytime TV without realizing it's crappy. (I suppose nowadays you get bonus time on the computer or something, too.)
As an adult, you still have to keep your world moving. Get work done. Feed yourself. Jello and crackers are much less exciting. Chicken soup is ... fine. Daytime TV is now confirmed crappy. DayQuil is not exactly fun. ... Naps are nice, though.
And sometimes, if you're very lucky, you come face-to-face with exactly how badly you eat most days. I spent my week chastising myself for having the general diet of a poor college student. [Look, I'm trying not to buy too many groceries because I don't feel like moving a bunch of food, okay? Poptarts keep.]
After a few days of not nearly enough activity -- and after falling dreadfully behind on my packing schedule -- it was good to be able to leave camp. Even better, it was fun to hang out with my parents, play some Catan, and join the rest of the country in feeling woefully abandoned by the Atlanta Falcons.
Now, though ... Time to get back to work.
Does that makes sense? When you're a kid, if you're not too sick, it's almost fun. You stay home from school, eat Jello and crackers, maybe even get a 7-Up out of the deal. You get to stay in your pajamas and watch crappy daytime TV without realizing it's crappy. (I suppose nowadays you get bonus time on the computer or something, too.)
As an adult, you still have to keep your world moving. Get work done. Feed yourself. Jello and crackers are much less exciting. Chicken soup is ... fine. Daytime TV is now confirmed crappy. DayQuil is not exactly fun. ... Naps are nice, though.
And sometimes, if you're very lucky, you come face-to-face with exactly how badly you eat most days. I spent my week chastising myself for having the general diet of a poor college student. [Look, I'm trying not to buy too many groceries because I don't feel like moving a bunch of food, okay? Poptarts keep.]
After a few days of not nearly enough activity -- and after falling dreadfully behind on my packing schedule -- it was good to be able to leave camp. Even better, it was fun to hang out with my parents, play some Catan, and join the rest of the country in feeling woefully abandoned by the Atlanta Falcons.
Now, though ... Time to get back to work.
Comments