Saturday, November 7, 2009

I'm sick and tired

Two weeks ago during my Wednesday night Management class I sat next to a girl with a cold. The next morning I talked to her and she was completely hoarse. Sure enough, I caught her cold and by Saturday I was hoarse, coughing, and blowing my nose. To top things off, I started a brand new job on Monday after waiting a couple of weeks to begin. Sick as a dog, I went to work, trying to avoid contact with everyone. I prayed for a miracle cure so that I would be better on Wednesday when I went back to work. This is a part time position while I am attending school and I only go in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I sucked on throat lozenges, took tons of Vitamin C, and drank hot tea by the gallon but I didn't get any better. By Friday, I was coughing and gagging so much they sent me home. I know, I know! All this hype about H1N1, I shouldn't have even attempted to go in. But what do you do with a new job? I didn't want to lose it. And I NEED the money! And I knew by this time that the virus had moved internal- I wasn't really contagious anymore.

Off and on, I felt hot. I had green and yellow phlegm. I was coughing until I was about throwing up. I've had this before. For me, this means Bronchitis. Anyway, for Halloween weekend, I slept all weekend and, luckily, I got the only doctor appointment available on Monday. All I needed was some drugs to get better. She said I had Bronchitis and Sinusitis and prescribed me a "Z-pack". It's great! You take 2 pills on the first day and 1 each of the next four days and Voila! you're feeling better. So I called in sick on Monday and, with doctor's note in hand, I started back to work on Wednesday. Yesterday was my first real full day in two weeks. Craziness, huh!

This has been a worse case for me though. I began feeling better immediately after I started the drugs but, almost a week later, I am still coughing and full of congestion. I can almost talk normally now though. I notice that normal exposure to smoke, both wood and cigarette, affect me terribly. I feel like I can't breathe. I get short of breath easily and I feel much weaker than normal. I went for a short hike last weekend and almost coughed myself to death. I sleep a lot more than normal too. Hopefully this will all go away and I will be back to myself soon.


I'm sick and tired - song: Don't let Me Down and Down, artist: David Bowie, album: Black Tie, White Noise

7 comments:

Shirley said...

I'm battling a chest cold too, the worst part is the headache that came with it. Sometimes drugs can just mask the symptoms; I don't take them at all. Hope you are all better soon, and congratulations on the new job.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

The bug I have had is a tough one too ! hang in there and get well soon

Paint Girl said...

I am so sorry you are sick!! I hope you are feeling better soon! Of course it had to start when you started a new job, my cold did the same, the week I got sick, I started my new job!!
I had the same thing happen to me over a month ago, some friends were sick, invited us over, 2 days later I was sick! I still have a little cough left over, but I am pretty much normal now!!

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

Hi Val....just stopped in to see how Yalla is doing and saw you were not doing too hot..sorry you're sick...hope all is well soon! Luanne

Dan and Betty said...

Hang in there Val and take care of your self.

Dan

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

What a bummer! I hope you get better soon. You wouldn't believe how many times I've come down with a cold or the flu my first day on a new job. It's hard to avoid people, because they want to introduce you around and everyone wants to shake your hand. I think the stress of such a major change in your life helps weaken your resistance to viruses.

The Wades said...

I sure hope you're all better by now. Sounds like you had it rough. New job? I'm so behind with my blog reading. That pumpkin stand did me in. Congratulations.