Sick

Since last Monday or so I haven't felt well. All sorts of things seemed to be going on and I just didn't feel right--weird aches and pains, fatigue, etc... By Wednesday, I couldn't even finish my lunch at the school luncheon, where I had veggie lasagna. It's practically unheard of that I would not be able to finish a meal, especially a pasta meal, especially now, so I knew something was really wrong! Then I won a couple of prizes, both containing chocolate, and I didn't have any desire to sample my prize. Whoa!

That night I went home and slept on the couch pretty much the entire evening until we went to bed at 10. Thursday morning I felt pretty well, but by halfway through the day I wasn't sure if I wanted to drive home. I took a Tylenol to take the edge off and left early. I was feeling bad emotionally, too, because I didn't get a thing done all week. I was just really out of it. And then I left early when I knew I had a lot to do. That was not cool. I went home and napped for a little while, then I had to leave for a get-together. I had a bit of a feeling that my girlfriends were planning something for me...I had no idea that the entire party was in my honor, complete with 14 of my incredible coworkers, a cake with our names on it ("Congratulations Chris & Kelly"), and some lovely, lovely presents. I went there looking like I had just run a marathon or something--I was sweaty, my hair was stringy (probably from having been sweaty), and I just felt horrible. In fact, Chris drove me to the party because I didn't think I could make the 10 minute drive myself.

A couple of my friends who work in the office told me not to even bother going in to work on Friday. I had every intention of giving it a try, but I woke up and decided that they were right. I stayed pretty close to the couch until Chris called the doctor and asked if I could be seen today. The doctor called back and said that she'd order some lab work, so I went down, picked up the script, and then went over to the hospital for blood work and urinalysis. I didn't think I had another UTI (something that I, unfortunately, suffer from on a fairly regular basis despite the huge amounts of water and cranberry juice I drink), but a few weeks ago I thought I felt some symptoms coming on, and I asked her to check for that, too.

The doctor's office called back just after noon (I was shocked and pleased at the efficiency--they really took good care of me!!!) and said that I had an infection that is "traveling throughout my system," so they called in a script for an antibiotic.

I spent the rest of the day on the couch and when it came time to decide if I could make it to graduation at my school, I had to remind myself that I have a hard time sitting up for more than 15 minutes--there's no way I could drive half an hour, wait half an hour for graduation to start, sit for an hour at graduation in a hot auditorium, mingle with students and parents, and then drive back home in the dark. Even if I made it safely, I would have been in agony the whole time. So I stayed home, and it broke my heart.

I woke up today, Saturday, feeling a bit better, but a walk around the block did me in, and I came home and took a nap. Then we went to Home Depot for more bathroom supplies--we're in the middle of a complete bathroom overhaul, which also means that I haven't had a shower since Thursday morning. Gross, I know. I'd like to at least wash my hair in the sink but I don't know if I have the energy to do so. My friend Mary also offered up her house for a shower and a nap while she's out of town this weekend, but I truly feel that I don't have the strength or concentration to drive up there. (It's the same place where the party was on Thursday.) So anyway, after the trip to Home Depot, I got home and took another nap.

My whole body hurts...part of it is probably from laying down so much, but I don't have the strength to sit or stand. I'm also sore from throwing up on Friday night. I only threw up that one time, but wow, did that hurt. And I kept heaving even after all of the water in my stomach was in the bucket. (I should mention that at that particular point in time, the water in the entire house was shut off because they were working on plumbing in the bathroom, so puking into the toilet was not an optioin.) So yeah, I threw up water...I have only eaten a little bit of food since Wednesday's lunch. Today I've forced myself to eat a little more--a couple pieces of bread, two fudgsicles, half an apple...that's about it. I'd like to think the food is giving me a little strength.

Tomorrow there are two graduation parties that I'd really like to attend. They're for students who mean so much to me, and I would definitely rather be there than lying on the couch, but if I feel awful again, it just doesn't make sense to go.

I really hope I'm better so I can go to work on Monday--I have so much work to do!!! And then next Sunday is my baby shower. I'd better be better for that!!!!