This is the story of my flu episode. You've been warned.
Last Friday my hubby came home from his job at a college with a bad cough and went straight to bed. As he often does when he is really sick he moaned and groaned. Poor boy! I stayed by him to help him even though I was afraid to catch it. I had had a flu shot a week ago and I thought I was safe.
Hubby went to work on Saturday for a special class, then came home and went back to bed with fever and chills again, along with the bad cough. I did what I could for him, giving him moral support if nothing else. By Sunday evening he was feeling better, although he coughed for several more days.
Unfortunately, by Sunday evening I was starting to feel it. My problems were somewhat different, though. I didn't cough (probably because of my pain meds) and I felt alternately hot and cold. I also had a bad headache. That often happens when I get a virus, ever since I had mono that attacked my brain lining in college.
I started resting and drinking fluids. I am one of those people who are high-risk for the flu because of my asthma and other medical problems, so I was taking this seriously and helping my body out all I could. I also took some decongestants which kept me up all night. I felt alternatively too hot and too cold all night and finally began to sleep the next morning.
On Monday during the day I felt tired, but not too bad until evening when I started to feel so icy cold--as if somebody was wiping me down with alcohol. This was even the parts of me under the covers. I started to feel really bad around midnight and started vomiting. After that I was unsteady on my feet, confused, and my back and neck hurt terribly.
The next day was spent in bed with constant vivid dreams (all anxiety type dreams). I was freezing cold with no fever, but I was dizzy and weak and everything hurt. I was so helpless that I couldn't go beyond a few steps. I had trouble getting my sons to hear me asking for help and at one point I just burst into tears.
That night was absolutely horrible. I was having chills and nausea and I really wanted to quit. I felt that if I had to go through another long night of chills I was going to die. Unfortunately, quiting wasn't an option. My body just had to get through this somehow. I listened to a meditation piece about listening to your body, so I acknowledged did that and the anxiety eased some. Then I started vomiting again.
The next morning (Wednesday) I woke up feeling not quite so cold. I was still having twinges of cold, but I was having some normal sleep in between. I was extremely tired and still had a terrible headache, but I began to feel as if I might survive. I stayed in bed though. I have a bad history of getting up and out too soon and getting sick again and I don't want pneumonia again.
I also realized that I was so depressed because I had been off my antidepressant, so I got my prescription picked up and I'm feeling better psychologically now.
By Thursday afternoon I felt a little like myself and on Thursday evening I spent an hour or so on the computer before crashing again. As I write, it is Friday afternoon. I still have a headache and I'm watching out for this chest congestion. I hope I can avoid a secondary infection, so I am taking things VERY easy.
So far the boys show no sign of infection. They aren't in a lot of close contact with us and I've reminded my younger son several times to wash his hands after being in contact with me.
I advise everybody who can to get a swine flu shot along with their regular shot. This is nasty stuff. I haven't been this sick in years and years. If you're young and healthy you might get through it quickly, but it is nothing to fool with. I intended to get a swine flu shot when they were available, but now I don't have to. I would much have rather had the shot!
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