Sick All of the Time

This last few weeks, I have been sick, and it wasn't the first time over the last few months. I have been sick off and on since December which is the most I have been sick for a while. I am fairly certain that is because I have been working from home 5 years as of this week and don't get to leave the house as much as I would like. This means my immune system hasn't been building up as much as it would have if I had more contact with the public. 

I also had the joy of going to the ER in December and finding out that my asthma has gone from being exercise induced and fairly inactive to being viral induced as well and causing more problems. Now, I get to have a rescue inhaler with me and keep track of how many times per week I use it. If I use it too often, which I have been doing, I am supposed to be referred to a pulmonologist for further testing. I will probably keep going as I have until my ER bill is paid. 

I am currently still searching for an internship to finish my degree. I am hoping for an in-person position. Being around people will help me build my immune system while I network and work towards finding a job in my chosen field. Maybe, next cold and flu season will be a bit easier on me. 

My Weekend

This weekend ended up going not totally as expected. Noel had a friend over and was originally planning for her to stay until she went to school tomorrow, but Noel ended up getting very sick Saturday, so her friend went home. I was still light headed but knew I needed to get things done as I took care of my daughter. I got the kitchen completely clean and worked on my baking projects (sandwich bread , English muffins, and sourdough bread). 

Sunday, I woke up so overwhelmed with everything that needed to be done (both bathrooms, laundry, cinnamon rolls, etc.) that I was constantly in tears. Chad helped get a few things done and reminded me that we could relax as we watched General Conference. Thanks to his help, I was able to clam down and take the time to do things properly. I even made near perfect cinnamon rolls that we could eat during the first session of the day. 

I still need to redo the kids’ bathroom (Chad and I cleaned it Friday), clean the sinks in my bathroom, and do another load of dishes, but I feel I put in an honest effort yesterday especially for a day in which my head was still spinning. I even got a lot done on my latest sweater as I watched conference. 

Stomach Virus

Tuesday, Chad was very sick. It seemed like no matter what he did, it just got worse. Eventually, he called his mom, a retired nurse, for advice and was told to go to the ER. After a CT scan of his abdomen and 3.5 hours of waiting, we were told he had a stomach bug and a large kidney stone stuck in his kidney. The solution: lost of rest and follow up with a urologist. 

The next day, I was suddenly sick after work. I laid down to nap and ended up running no to the bathroom on a regular basis. Each time, I got up, my energy was zapped. I just kept praying that I could keep my dignity through it all. Then, I ran to the bathroom, fainted when I was done, and had to yell for help to get back to the toilet to throw up. I was sicker than I have been in a long time. 

A few hours later, it was Sean’s turn. He violently threw up every 20 to 30 minutes for a few hours. He has told me that he now just mostly has no energy. 

Next was Noel. Thankfully, she only threw up once and seems to be doing fine now. 

This virus sucks. Somehow, it has been a bit better for each person. 

Dehydrated

Yesterday, Chad as d I had our date night. We went to the temple to do sealings and ate at Culver’s. Overall, it was a good night until we were about halfway home. At this point, I was feeling lightheaded and queasy. The late it got, the worse I felt. 

I had to think about what may have caused the issue. I don’t leave the house much, so I most likely didn’t catch anything unless Noel brought the germs home from school or Chad brought them him from work. Eventually, I realized that I hadn’t drank enough water for a few days. Just like my kids, I get an upset stomach when I am dehydrated. 

Today, I have drank 3 water bottles of water as well as my regular soda. I feel a lot better. I need to remember this and drink the plain water when I start to feel hungry. 

I Hope Not

Chad and Noel have been sick for a bit. Chad tested positive for COVID last week. Noel was tested for COVID, the flu, and strep, and they all came back negative. The doctor said that he thought she had COVID but it was too early to get a test. She didn’t want to go through the process of being tested agin, and I don’t blame her. Noel was given an inhaler and a low dose steroid to help her breathe. Chad decided he would tough it out. They both have had less energy and some discomfort. 

Today, I am starting to feel sick. I am hoping it is just a cold. I hate being sick. It could be a stress response. I can deal with stress better than what I have witnessed them going through. 

Bad Week

Other than a few things like the concert and my weekly walk with my friend, this has been a tough week. First of all, Noel was sick for about 3 days with Tuesday being the worst. I was able to take care of her most of the day, but I also had to work and didn’t change my concert plans because I knew the main this she needed was sleep. Her fever spiked Wednesday night, so I took her to the doctor Thursday morning. They did COVID, flu, and strep tests which all came back negative. We were told it was probably “some kind of virus.” She was feeling better, for the most part, that afternoon. Wednesday, I had food poisoning and spent a good part of the day in bed. I hate taking sick time from work, and I hate being sick even more. Thursday ended up being crazy busy because I had my regular Thursday plans (my walk and a class Zoom) plus I had to make up the time I missed when I took Noel to the doctor. Yesterday, Noel had a friend over with the promise they would leave by 3:00 so we could go do laundry. They left a few minutes late which threw me off a bit. Then, I forgot my coin bag at home and didn’t realize it until we got there. I drove to the bank, but I didn’t have my debit card and, apparently, ATMs don’t take mobile pay though the tap to pay function. We were on a tight schedule, so we had to just go back home. Now, I have to go today which makes my day of homework more difficult. Honestly, I can’t wait until this week is over. 

The Morning After

I knew today was going to be hard because concerts get out past our bedtime. I didn’t know I was going to wake up with food poisoning. I ended up having to clock out of work after about two hours because I was throwing up so much. (I don’t drink, so it wasn’t a hangover.)

After the amazing show last night, Chic-fil-a had tents set up to sell sandwiches once we had climbed the stairs out. I had been slightly hungry and very thirsty, and Chic-fil-a is so good. Chad bought us each sandwiches and sodas that we had when we got back to the car. The sandwiches were premade and prepackaged and kept in warming containers. It wasn’t unlike some of the food we have had at running events. This was the only unusual food we had. Chad had no adverse reaction. I, on the other had, was sick all morning. I couldn’t keep anything down until about 3:00 other than the ginger ale Chad got me. 

The good news is that I have an understanding boss and plenty of sick time since I haven’t used it in over 3 years. (I either take vacation time or make appointments after work when needed.) I’m thankful my husband took the day off knowing he would be too tired for work. I’m thankful he was willing to get things done and run errors for me while I was sick. I’m thankful that I have the privilege of working from home so that I wasn’t trying to drive this morning. It was not a fun morning, but it did help me see some of the blessings I have that I take for granted.