Uncultured swine
I made some joking remarks near the end of summer about how I’d probably get the swine flu as soon as school started, only half-believing this myself because I figured I could get the vaccine and be all set. Of course, it wasn’t available to me, so I subbed for two weeks and came down with- wait for it – the swine flu.
I’ve had some terrible sick times in my life, the worst being chronic stomach viruses and also a time when I had an ear infection, sinus infection and strep throat at the same time, rendering me unable to even swallow my own saliva. This illness is definitely far up on the list.
I had a fever of 103.5 which finally came down, I’ve had terrible headaches, a cough that won’t go away, severe tightening of my chest, back and arm muscles, stomach pains, digestion problems and some awful chills. Couldn’t even shower until today. It’s been five days and I can still barely move; I have no energy and I can’t go outside or look at light. I spend most of the day staring at the wall or sitting in the dark; no strength to read, write, or even turn on the TV. At night I get headaches and lay awake, fully-clothed and freezing. I’ve missed a ton of work. I’m losing my mind and no one wants to be near me.
I didn’t think I would make it through thursday after seeing how high my fever went and being rendered completely immobile in my family’s living room, unable to do anything but wait. The sheer loneliness and physical agony of this thing are producing confusing, counteractive emotions in me and I’m so frustrated I can barely stand to be awake. I feel alone, but I don’t want company. I break into a coughing fit every few minutes and it’s embarrassing, and talking makes my head hurt.
I feel like the first guy on the Oregon Trail wagon train who catches typhoid within the first ten minutes of starting up the game. ”Richard has taken a turn for the worse. Give him a proper burial?”
I know this isn’t the most eloquent entry, and in reality, I will probably get better, but this has been one of the most trying weeks I’ve had in awhile; its been a long time since I’ve spent so much waking life completely by myself.
Feels like I’m coming home to death/ Feels like I’m in a fleshy coffin/ Stuck in this skin, I am trapped in a prison – Crisis
I didn’t get swine flu, but I was stuck invariably by myself and had to miss 3 days of work last week. So I can relate. Still not as bad as yours, although I couldn’t even do anything REMOTELY enjoyable like read or write or anything either. I just played Dragon Quest 7 and kept hitting the X button in bemused agony.
Feel better brohan, I’ll see you in a month