I'm Alive!

No I haven't turned into Frankenstein, but I do feel like I've been brought back from the dead. You can see my last post was December 10th. I was all full of feelings of Christmas cheer that week. I got almost all my Christmas errands done that week. Christmas cards addressed and mailed. Christmas packages packed and shipped. Gifts for family and friends purchase or made.

THEN December 12th came and I got SICK! The worst flu I've ever had. For 14 straight days I just wanted to curl in a ball, but it was too painful to do so. It started with extreme body aches, severe headaches, and a foggy feeling in one's head like you'd never be able to think straight ever again. No amount of Tylenol, Motrin, and/or Napricin would even take the edge off. There were 3 days when my head hurt SO bad that I couldn't open my eyes. I couldn't open my eyes, because the streaming in of light, color and activity was just too much for my poor aching brain. It would make me feel like something had to give like maybe my brain would just turn to a liquid and pour out of my ears. I have children, so I couldn't wish myself dead. I would literally lay completely stock still wishing... willing any pain killer in my system to please please please take the edge off. Nothing until day 4 when at least the killer headaches went away.

The fogginess, muscle and internal organ pain continued on. And a new item joined the list... coughing. Not to mention the general feeling of lethargy. Was it due to the 102 fever I had off and on for over a week? Probably. I went to the doctor twice mainly, because I thought my kidneys were in distress from the pain I was having internally. The doc said, "Does it hurt when I TWIST your kidney." Actually no. It just sounded bad. She had me touching my toes and doing deep knee bends and nothing was painful. Just a constant pain in my groin that started out on my right side actually waking me up it hurt so badly. Then it moved to the left side and stayed there. All blood tests came back saying everything was functioning fine thank goodness, but why the pain? Was it the flu?

I'm on day 29 since I got sick and though I generally feel pretty good my energy is still not up to where I'd like it to be. The coughing continues, but does seem to be a tad less. Believe it or not I do have something to be happy about during all this... I had no nasal congestion! Not one tissue was needed. Never had to blow my nose. No red sore nose! No nose that was stopped up during the day when one wants to breath through it, and then it runs all night when you're asleep. Knock on wood!

I fortunately have teenagers. I don't know how I would have bucked up and taken care of young children. I would have done it, but it would have been really really really hard. I had my teenagers cooking dinner, wrapping presents and they even made the Christmas Biscotti.

P.S. Yes, I did have my flu shot this year. Better luck next time.