Sunday, February 24, 2008

sick and (mostly) tired


There are few things less interesting than hearing someone else complain about a minor cold or run down a list of commonplace symptoms, but, for the moment, that's all I can manage to think about. Even after almost a week of rest and liquids, I still have the cough, fever, the sore throat, and, worst of all, the woozy exhaustion that makes it impossible to read, or concentrate or, really, to do anything except sleep or lie in bed waiting for sleep to come.

The last time I was sick for this long, I eventually dragged myself to the doctor, who wrote on my chart in big letters FUO, for fever of unknown origin and told me, far too cheerfully and without any basis that I could see, that I might have lupus. Of course, I didn't have lupus. I had, it turned out, cytomegalovirus, CMV, an infection that pretty much everyone gets sooner or later and that usually is all but symptomless, but that put me out of commission for a very unpleasant couple of months.

But enough about me. How are you feeling today?

26 comments:

the dragonfly said...

Oh, yuck! I truly hope you feel better soon.

And I'm not feeling too great myself, actually. I've had a sinus infection for a week now, and the past few days have been the worst. But I know it'll be better soon...(I hope)...

Anonymous said...

I've been sick since the day after Thanksgiving. But it is getting better every day. As an aside, when I read the word "cytomegalovirus" in this blog entry, it almost made me sick. I haven't seen that word in print since I read my son's autopsy report. My son, who was born 13 weeks' premature, died in the NICU of CMV. He either got it from me through my breast milk or from a blood donor.

Beruriah said...

I'm sorry Jill, that's awful.

I'm ok, hoping it'll be another sunny day & that I'll get enough work done to justify attending an Oscar party tonight. Haven't been sick since I caught Samuel's RSV last month.

Rest lots, and go easy on yourself.

S said...

Oh, hon. I'm sorry that you're still sick. It's been too long.

I hope today is the day you turn the corner.

xxoo

niobe said...

Jill: I'm so sorry. I know that there are certain words that they leave me breathless, gasping for air.

meg said...

I hope you are feeling better soon, Niobe. I think there are some really evil sicknesses going around at the moment. But it's horrible to have a fever that keeps going this long.

EmmaL said...

Jill - I am so sorry, that is terrible.

Niobe - I'm sorry you are sick. I've been sick since I came home from Boston. It's almost gone, but not all the way - it just keeps lingering. I feel okay though. Actually, I feel so anxious today that I almost can't stand it. Hope you feel better soon!

Katie said...

I'm feeling itchy after being told that a gorgeous little girl who was curled up in my lap most of today and yesterday has nits! Ahhh!
I'm also feeling lazy, I don't have much to do, but boy am I procrastinating as I do it!

k@lakly said...

It must be going around, sniff, sniff, cough, gag....and my cats, do not like to share 'their' ahem, my bed, at all. And not one of them offered to make me some tea either. Damn felines.

CLC said...

What a drag to be sick this long. Hope you feel better soon.

Tash said...

Bleh, I'm so sorry. the ones that hang on really do take over. (I'm actually feeling fairly frazzled; leaving tomorrow!)

See the blog, I've tagged you with a mindless meme during your sick-time. I may have to find internet connection so I can see your answers!

Awake said...

A plaque on all our houses - or so it appears. Everyone I know is sick or just getting over being sick. This winter has been harsh. But now that I am starting to feel better myself, I'm intimitated by the amount of housework I have to catch up on after my family has been out of commission for this long. Yuck. So I'm procrastinating instead.

cinnamon gurl said...

I'm sick too, although only since Friday afternoon/night and hopefully I've come over the other side. Sorry you've been sick for so long. Yesterday as I was lying prostrate feeling miserable in front of the tv, I heard that the flu vaccine didn't really work this year; they got the formula wrong. So I guess I don't need to feel stupid for not getting it.

Unknown said...

niobe - feel better - I myself have a bad case of cabin fever. It is cold & dark and still February. I feel stuck and would like to throw open the windows of my house and clean it top to bottom - getting rid of useless junk all along the way. But that would make the inside of our house colder than it already is, so it will have to wait til real Spring arrives. So all this energy will instead go to filing papers that sit on desks, or perhaps, more usefully, to baking.

Amy said...

Hope you feel better soon! We have the flu at our house. Kinda bites!

Lides said...

Ugh. I'm sorry. I've had a similar sort of flu all week. Am wearied of being ill. Blah.

I've been listening to "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles over and over and over again all day. Catchy tune. I like the lyrics (I think? from what I can tell).

Random, I know, but my fever is rising again.

Magpie said...

Lousy. Thanks for asking.

Here's hoping we all feel better.

Anonymous said...

I am day 16 since coming down with the flu, have taken the antiobiotics, and am still not 100%. Perhaps a visit to a doctor is in order, because a fever shouldn't last this long. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Pamela T. said...

There is *nothing* worse than feeling under the weather...and after spending most of January and part of Feb recovering from one thing or another I'm now appreciating the feeling of wellness more than ever...hope you're well pronto!

painted maypole said...

not as crappy as you, but it has been over 4 1/2 weeks of this muck, and I'm done, done, done with it. if only it were done with me. sigh.

Amelie said...

Hope you're better soon, and do not get another (cheerful?!) FUO from the doctor. I'm fine and cannot complain (there was some odd pain that I'm trying to ignore, though, but I hope it is meaningless).

Anonymous said...

I hope you feel better soon.

I'm nervous - have a busy week with lots of visitors coming up!

Aurelia said...

Well, I don't have a cold, but I am incredibly tired and feeling blah.

Damn weather...I'm thinking about going back to the doc and getting some more asthma meds or something.

Anonymous said...

ugh. so sorry that you are still sick.

& gentle hugs to Jill.

I have a case of the Februaries. I am hoping that it clears up in a week.

&, as always, I am blown away by your art.

xo

Betty M said...

Sorry you are ill and feeling rough. I am fine (and I actually do have lupus) but there is chicken pox in our house which is miserable.

Lori said...

I know I am late to this- but I do hope that maybe by now you are feeling better.

I am feeling overwhelmed by being back home, annoyed by all of J's homework, and sad that I am not still on the glorious beaches of Maui.