October Something – The **th Official Friday Night BeerBlog

It doesn’t matter what kind of sick you get. This is the time of year that a lot of people have allergies, get sinus infections, or pick up a common cold. But then sometimes people get even sicker, especially in these times of flu and the COVID. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been sick in ____ many years, the fact is, illness is out there and eventually it will find you. And it doesn’t matter how focused you are or what you have going on, when it finds you, you have to pay attention to it.

So Proud Of Myself

I tried not to say it out loud, but I had at least been bragging in my head that I haven’t been “sick” in over 4 years, except for feeling like crap after my COVID and Shingles Immunizations. I knew I was tempting fate, but I was proud of myself for avoiding the need to stop due to some illness. I must have been doing something that everyone else hadn’t. What it was I didn’t know, but staying healthy and enjoying my health was something that I was giving thanks for every day.

It felt as though weekly I was hearing of someone close who was succombing to being sick. For those getting Covid, most who had had all their shots were only reporting mild symptoms at most. This was comforting to hear, even if it found me, it shouldn’t be terrible. So I have gone about my business, mask-less, like most these days. But as always, washing my hands and being wary of close places. But I was winning.

Winning Until I Wasn’t

I went to a music festival a couple weekends ago. Four days of amazing music. Packed into a fairgrounds field with up to 130,000 other people. A germ free-for-all. Of course I didn’t see it in that way at the outset. I had considered wearing a mask, but didn’t because the festival was outdoors and I that felt “safer”.

Two days after the festival something was off. I didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel bad, but I didn’t feel good. I skipped my workout “just in case” and to rest in case it was just because of four days at the festival. But the downyill slide continued and by the next morning I was convinced I had a sinus infection, which is my illness of choice., meaning that that is the illness I deal with the most. Before I headed to the minute clinic, I took a home Covid Test just to be certain and that bad boy turned positive immediately. After 2.5 year avoiding COVID, it had finally found my address and me.

When The Test Is Positive

There is something abut seeing that positive covid test line show up. Well Hell was the first thing that came to my mind. Of course Mike was freaking out how it would affect him. In that moment you know the next few days are going to be hell. Arrangemnts to quarantine and such begin immediately. Hopefully this will only be a mild case like others you’ve heard of. The only way to know is to wait and see what happens.

The biggest change is that there is immediate confirmation to stop on everything else. Being sick is the call to arms to stop focusing on everything around you and hunker down to focus on the inside. Everything you do needs to make sure is a good decision to make you feel better.

Stop Fighting It and Start Taking Care Of It

So you’re sick. Whether you got a home test, doctor result, or just feel off. You’re sick. Be pissed. And get mad. For just a minute. You’re owed that because nobody wants to get sick. Then lay that aside. If you’re going to be sick, start creating a plan to get through it as quickly as possible.

Get yourself set up somewhere comfortable. Make sure to have all the medicine you need within reach. Get your tissues, your phone charger, pillows and blankets. If you don’t feel terrible yet, make a pot of soup or casserole that you can eat on for at least a couple of days. Trust me, you’ll be wanting food if you don’t have someone there to cook for you or run you some food.

Call into work and let them know. Don’t play it by ear with them, take a couple to a few days off work to get well. Mentally accept that the next few days may suck. Be okay with sleeping in the middle of the day. Take extra vitamins. Drink lots of water and electrolytes to stay hydrated. Shower every day if you can. That will make a huge difference.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

For most of us, being sick doesn’t last forever, but it sure does throw a wrench into life, but returning from being sick is another podcast in itself. This COVID journey for me was hard. I literally haven’t been this sick in at least 10 years. It was not mild for me and I prayed to feel better everyday, but only until 7 days after my positive test did I feel that there was a light at the end of the illness tunnel for me. The days got long and boring and frustrating, but I knew there was absolutely NOTHING I could do about it. And when you stop fighting the inevitable and just deal witht he card you’ve been dealt, then you will bounce back faster.

I do know know that when I write in my gratitude journal that I am grateful for my health I have a new measuring stick for that amount of gratitude. I also have a new level of empathy when I hear someone has tested [ositive for COVID or has the flu. It is a process and I will wish everyone out there that finds themselves in this position patience and a fast healing journey.