Bronchitis

Not me thankfully, or not yet anyway.  25 got sick.  It's notable because it's the first "really sick/injured" of our relationship.  We've both had colds, but real sick is different.  Anything that requires a trip to the urgent care is different.

While I'm not happy he got bronchitis, it is a useful measuring stick.  Like I said, it's a milestone. It's great that it didn't happen when we'd only been dating a couple months. That could have ended things.  In my experience, women and very specifically me, tend to want to care for, even mother, a man.  I like to be helpful, offer assistance.  I've learned over the years, through trial and lots of errors plus a little reading (Why men date bitches and the like) you can't do that too soon.  When dating a man, you have to increase those sorts of "taking care of my man" sorts of things slowly, veeerrrrryyyyy sssssssssssssslllllllllllllooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwlllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy. If you come on too fast/too much, they are like deer - they panic and flee. I can't speak for most women, but I often find that difficult.  I want to help. I have had to very deiliberately scale those efforts back to basics.

25 is like any man.  When he gets the flu is quickly turns in to manflu.  He had that a couple months ago, maybe January.  He had the sniffles, he wanted sympathy. He got a bit and no offers of soup, drugstore runs, etc. This time, with months behind us, it was different.

We both had minor cold symptoms Sunday a couple weeks ago.  I was congested, he had a sore throat.  We didn't really think anything of it.  My stuffy nose and sneezing lasted about four days.  25 was exposed to bronchitis at work and several other co-workers that were sick or had sick partners. He called in stick to work Wednesday and Thursday.  I took him soup on Wednesday night, hung out for a couple hours then went home because I had to get my beauty sleep for early work the next day.

Against my suggestion, he went to work Friday and was, let's say, less than productive.  Over the weekend he stayed at my place, mostly sleeping. He was burning up and had a very persistent cough, though none of the other more cold-like symptoms that I'd had. By Sunday morning he had decided that a trip to the urgent care clinic was warranted, and so it was. Acute bronchitis meant an injection and prescriptions.

The milestone part to all of this is that he let me take care of him.  He said more than once that he'd be/have been a lot worse off without me. He thanked me for being there, for having him at the house and making sure he had gatorade and soup. He seemed to notice that having me in his life for a long time would be a really good thing, beneficial on multiple fronts.

Not a Myth?

When I lived in Indonesia the locals swore that everyone got sick at change of season.  It's because it's (enter adjective here that is a change from what it just was - hotter, drier, wet, cool, etc). I didn't really believe it, just as I didn't believe my Guatemalan house mother when she said I'd get sick because I walked around the house barefoot. Baaah, old wive's tales!

Spring seems to have sprung in the Pacific Northwest and I'm sick. 25 is also sick with a cough, aches and flu like symptoms.  Two other trainers I'm working with are both sniffling and sneezing in class and I just found out my sister got sick over the weekend as well.

It could be that my allergies started the same way you start a race -with a bang and all at once- but that seems less likely.  I can't seem to draw in oxygen through both nostrils at the same time, and usually only one if I'm lucky.  I have sneezed no less than a dozen times.  Due to both the previous points, I've been fighting a headache.  I can't get my ears to pop and find it difficult to focus. 

Maybe there is something to the "change of seasons". The temperature has increased a whopping eight to ten degrees as it is supposed to hit 70 later in the week.  It seems early for hayfever but I've read a couple of news stories that report earlier and more severe pollen seasons due to climate change.

It's amazing how I take breathing for granted until I can't.  Such a "simple task" when not sick becomes the most strenuous, difficult thing to do in the world. On that note, I'm off to pop a zinc lozenge and find some menthol rub.

A Man with No Feet

I was having a whiney, whingy day yesterday.  I was frustrated that work wasn't making a decision about my contract and as a result I sat around for ten and a half hours trying to look busy while in actuality having nothing to do.  Absolutely nothing.  There's only so much crap you can look at on the internet before you get to http://www.endoftheinternet.com/ or

The problem was I couldn't go do something.  I didn't have anything to learn or prepare.  No meetings, no emails to respond to, nothing.  I hate sitting and waiting.

By the end of the day I was in a pretty foul mood.  The fact that I had overdosed on both caffeine and sugar by four o'clock didn't help either.  I wisely cancelled my dinner plans and headed home as not to inflict my grumpy spell on anyone else.

When I got home my neighbor's son was pulling up.  He came over and asked for a ride to the shopping complex.  His mom had collapsed again and was at the hospital.  He'd come by to pick up something she needed and wanted to get the car.  I was eager to oblige.  She's always been a lovely person and great neighbor.  The medical issues have been recurrent and severe lately.  This was the fourth such fainting spell that led to hospitalization in recent months. 

As we made the three minute drive to get his mom's car, the son also told me that his son was in hospital with a 103 degree temperature and abdominal pain. He had gone from one hospital to another. I offered any help I could, which would include caring for his mom's cat that night, and wished him well when I dropped him off.

When I got back I took the dog for a walk.  On a path near our neighborhood park I walked toward a man who seemed a little twitchy.  He made a signal to look at him, then a stop action.  We both stayed on our path towards the other.  He asked "Who is behind me?" to which I replied "no one" which was true.  "Good, that's how I like it" he said with some relief. I was left wondering.

I got home and realized that I really couldn't complain.  There's a saying "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet".  We all fight our own battles and demons.  As much as I didn't like my day yesterday, it couldn't been a lot worse. I didn't fight my frustration but I did feel some appreciation that mine were molehills, not mountains yesterday.

too much?

I usually write more topically, and I had all the best intentions yesterday to write but life got the better of me.  Today I have slid down the scale to a rant.

I started the week relieved that at school I'd wrapped up a project.  For each of my four classes we'd spent the better part of two weeks working on a United States unit.  I had prepped 2-3 pages each for 15 states, each student choosing one state.  They had to make a mind map and rough draft after reviewing parts of a paragraph. Then a final written that could be used for their presentation.  They each got a written score and a speaking score which had to be given back to them and entered into the computer.  I was happy I'd finished it all before our 3 day mid-semester break. I could lounge in Bali guilt and worry free. 

Now the sh** is hitting the proverbial fan.  The teaching staff has realized with holidays and deadlines, we really only have about 24 days left.  We aren't off until the 22nd of December but grades are obviously due before then.  We're losing two consecutive Wednesdays to an Indonesian and a school holiday. The way our schedules work that means that the Tuesdays are blow off days because we can't have one group get ahead of the other.  This week I'm running 2 unit tests and trying to get a mini speaking assessment in.  It's week one of 3 consecutive weeks of 5 days of class.  I know I shouldn't be complaining but it does feel long after so many holidays. The students are manic, and I've lost my voice to a ruddy decibel that it isn't recovering over the weekend. 

Today I've also been asked to cover a business class at night last minute. I can use the money but I could also use the 3 hours. I'm debating my grocery trip today because I need food but don't know if I have time. Tomorrow is a new client meeting for a new business where I'll be teaching every other week.  I've got a throbbing headache that's settled behind my right eye and won't budge.  It is all following yesterday's 2 hour trip home.  I've not seen rain like yesterday's in my time here.  We had a flat tire and 2 detours due to flooded roadways. I had to help pull the water out of a hole in the asphalt that dropped the bike out from under me.  I didn't fall but was standing before I knew what happened. We drove through water nearly knee deep. I split the seam for the second time in my sexy plastic rain pants and had to throw them out.  I ended up soaked all the way through, top to bottom. My trip to the grocery store went by the way side and after 15 minutes to partially disrobe in the hallway, I ate dinner and was asleep by 8.  Ahhh, in bed early.  Oh what's that?  4 am call to prayer?  No problem, that happens daily.  Wait, whaat?  An hour and 20 minutes of call to prayer not the normal 15?  Now that's new. 

I'm actually considering going to the doctor.  My lagging energy levels have continued as well as some serious stomach/diarrhea issues.  Parasites? Virus? The Plague?  It would mean I'd actually have to find the time.  And its just started raining. . . .

courtesy of blogs.warwick.ac.uk

Where's my mommy? I'm sick!

I'm firmly convinced that one of the worst sensations is being sick away from home or being sick alone.  I'm in my late 20's now and nothing makes me want to be in my mom's house with her as company more than being sick.

Courtesy of www.uu.edu

Last year I decided to stay in Spain for Christmas.  I thought it would be nice to experience how they celebrate.  It was fine until I got a horrible flu two days before Christmas.  I was home alone, miserable in bed.  Most of the city and my friends had left for their homes days before.  I felt like an island, cliche but true. After three days inside, I had to get out just to get some popsicles and fresh air.  I made a full recovery a day or so after than only to get a whopping chase of food poisioning.  I was on the phone to my mom, once again wishing I was there. As a child she was the best for a kid with a flu.  Cold wash rag on your forehead, popsicles or ice chips, soup, the tv remote and a soft, safe voice asking if you needed anything and reminding you that you'd feel better soon.

Now that I've been traveling for several years, I've gotten sick a LOT away from home.  Last month I struggled to get myself to the clinic to find out I had a throat infection.  Ojek's aren't nearly as much fun with a screaming headache on the way to the doctor.  Then again, neither are subway rides.  I've also gotten a lot of different kinds of sick as one could imagine. In Indonesia, food poisoning is more common than the common cold.

Lately there's been a spate of viruses flying about my school.  A teacher was out last week with what is presumed to be Dengue fever (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever). There are at least 2 other strains of virus causing everything from headaches and diarrhea to rash, exhaustion and fever. A couple of guys at work were out 3 or 4 days last week after becoming very rapidly ill.  I'm fighting something different.  It's a kind of "ill" I've not experienced before.  I am lethargic, like I can never sleep enough.  Even after 7 or 8 hours sleep, I am struggling to get up and peel myself out of bed in the morning.  My back muscles are more sore than they've ever been before. I'm getting headaches most days and I have these strange tiny pink, blue and purple veins which are quite visible on my legs.  They just popped up two days ago.  I don't know what it is; a friend suggested low grade Dengue.  Since it started two weeks ago I've had other symptoms that show up for a couple days and then leave.  I don't know what it is but I wish it would go away. Here's hoping several days of lounging on the beach and sleeping in will do the trick.

Friday

This is the first Friday in MONTHS that I am home.  I am home and I refuse to go out tonight. I'm not on holiday, it's not a going away event, the band has moved on and I'm still recovering from a wicked head cold so I am staying home, alone, on a Friday night. Not only is it by choice, I'm utterly happy about it.
My life tends to run in ebbs and flows.  I'd imagine other people's do as well.  Mine was flowing. I moved into the city at the beginning of August.  By being in the center instead of the burbs to the north I have seen my social life grow exponentially.  The problem is that many people have left in the last 6 weeks.  That means lots of "last" things: last dinner, last dance, last drinks.  It's hard enough saying goodbye to people that are important to you, but after weeks of this, it took a told on me physically too.
Stack that on top of starting at a new school.  New children always mean new germs. I made it a month without getting sick, but I still got sick.  With the rate my 4-2 class was dropping 2 weeks ago, I was sure I'd get sick then.  I think it was the air travel that pushed me over the edge. 2 trips in 4 days, albeit short ones.  Then staying in a room with a fan, not AC.  Back to Jakarta meant back into the AC.  More walking, and walking outdoors and my body went down for the count.
Since I got sick I have also pinched a nerve in my neck, had my ojek 'crash' (relax, that's why I used the '. We were going slow and my driver hit the bike in front of us.  We went down, and my knee is throbbing but other than bruises and what promises to be a sore knee and elbow, I'm ok.  Thank you Asa for telling me to wear pants!) and wrestled with 2 days of migraines.
I'm at the point in the cold where most things have lost their taste because I can't smell and I'm constantly popping my ears. Sleep is the order of the weekend. Maybe next Friday I'll be ready to go out again.