This post is nasty because it’s all about being sick — ill, debilitated, feeble, rickety, under the weather, lousy. That’s what I’m talking about. Frankly, it really sucks.
I will be the first to admit right up front that I am one of the biggest babies in the world when I’m sick. Even with only a cold, you would think from my attitude that I had an incurable blood disease. I blame my wonderful mother for this, she being an excellent nurse and having given the best care possible to all and any of her six children upon their falling ill. Thus, myself now being at the legal age to do almost anything I want, I become totally incapacitated at the onset of even minor symptoms. These last couple of weeks, have been torture for me.
A couple days before Christmas, I believe, I came down with a cold. Obviously a disappointing time for it, but I figured I’d be well enough by the time our Lord’s celebrated birthday came round, so I put on a bold face. Or tried to. I’m sure I was terrible all the same, but I can’t quite remember. The days seem all to blend together when I’m sick — is it the same for you? Being ill is like being in a different world, a whole existence separate from your usual one; being ill I never can recall what it’s like to be well, and when in good health never even think about days of bedridden disease and weakness — as I see them. Looking at the calendar I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, or a little more, but without a date I couldn’t possibly tell you with accuracy how long it’s been. Yet in this mere fortnight, I have seemingly gone through every mite of illness I’ve ever experienced in my life. What started as a cold, with congestion, sore throat and a leaky sniffer became the flu, which tottered on the edge of fever, and gave way to a double ear infection (the antibiotics for which have caused diarrhea), which began rounding out in time to give space for tonsil stones and coughing fits, all accompanied consistently by headaches and malaise. Just when one enemy has begun to wobble, another has stood up to face the line. Really, I’m tired of it. In fact I’ve been tired of it from day one. (I don’t even want to wear my glasses much of the time because they irritate my headache.)
Though you might think that this experience has given me a better perspective with which I can go through life, more able to appreciate good health and a strong vitality, it likely isn’t the case at all. Once I’m well again I’m sure I won’t remember the feeling of this miniature war at all (which is a blessing), and I will go about life as usual until the next battle begins. I’m simply not used to it; I’ve grown up in a rather healthy family, and rarely does anyone in it get sick more than once in a year or more, and that usually just a common cold. Yet at least four people in our home have contracted something in the last few weeks, and many others in the area as well. I myself am holding to my mom’s theory, that this drastically inconsistent weather is doing us no favours; it isn’t good to go from ten degrees to nearly fifty in the space of a few days. Certainly not to do it nearly half a dozen times in the middle of winter.
At the least, this dreadful bout has changed a few things for me. For one I think I’ll be permanently quitting The Walking Dead, which I’ve been a fan of, but quite plainly it did not help me sleep while dealing with all of this nonsense. It really is an incredibly gruesome thing to watch, anyway, and I probably should have stopped a long while ago. For another, this time has driven home in my mind the fact that I really do appreciate springtime and summer immensely, and I hope someday to move someplace where there is less of this terrible winter season. Snow is nice for the Christmas holiday, but that’s about the only benefit of such cold that I can think of. And, I will definitely be taking even better care of my mouth from this time onward. I was already someone who brushed his teeth at least twice a day, but I will be making sure to get my tongue well cleaned, and always have mouthwash close at hand — because tonsil stones, are not fun. Basically they’re calcified lumps of bacteria, mucus and other nastiness that gets lodged in your tonsils, and form there or at the back of your throat. If they’re substantial enough to notice, they are likely at best extremely uncomfortable, or at worst rather painful. Almost like having a popcorn kernel (or several) stuck in your back molars for days on end. The best way to keep them away (according to my limited research), is to practice good (or impeccable) oral hygiene. Rhett and Link, I can now sympathize with you.
Here’s to all those out there who are like me: big babies, suffering through non-life-threatening ailments and nasty weather that seems to have no end. Cheers.
hoping desperately for April and renewed health,
— Joel