Interflude

[nanila]

The last week of radio silence has not been the result of a sudden conversion to Mennonism or an internet outage or even a flounce.

It was the flu.

It started on Wednesday. My temperature climbed to 39 degrees C (102 F) and spiked at over 40 C (104 F). Repeatedly. For five [string of vituperative expletives deleted] days. I spent five days alternating between shivering under all the blankets & duvets I could find, and sweating like a pig in pants and bra. I haven't been this ill for this long since I was ten and I had an ear infection. That probably doesn't sound too bad until I add the little detail that I managed to conceal how awful I was feeling the morning it started so I could go to school. A teacher found me at the end of lunch recess. I was slumped against a concrete pillar, screaming, in an attempt to drown out the pounding in my head and the tinnitus in my ears.

The tinnitus decided to stage a comeback with this round of flu, too.

I'm now recovering, though still very weak. I can, thankfully, perform simple household tasks again. I never thought I'd be so pleased to do the washing up. I'm very far behind on all forms of communication. I hope you can all forgive me if I draw a line under replying to comments left prior to today and start afresh. If there are any posts here or anywhere else - Dreamwidth, Livejournal, Twitter or Facebook - that you would very much like me to see and acknowledge, let me know. I suspect it's going to take me at least a week to get back to full strength. I missed it here. Please consider waves, "HI!"s, shoulder-bumps and hugs distributed as desired.

PS Keiki is fine and seems to have escaped contracting it. Am v thankful for antibodies in breast milk right now.

Comments

[recessional]

Ah, the actual flu. I have managed to avoid it the last three years, thank gods and flu shots. I'm sorry you got nailed. :(

[nanila]

Thanks. :( I should've gotten a flu shot last summer while I was pre-28-weeks pregnant, but didn't prioritise it. Won't be making that mistake again.

[coughingbear]

Oh poor you, that sounds awful. Glad you are improving now. Much sympathy - I have been running a temperature off and on since Sunday, not as badly as you, and it's left me wiped out.

[nanila]

It was horrendous. I'm so, so glad it's over. Still pretty drained, but definitely loads better.

[cosmolinguist]

This was me a couple of weeks ago (though I didn't think it was as bad as it was for the first few days so continued to do stupid things like leave the house...). Another friend and I have said something along the lines of "I haven't been this sick in...a long time, possibly ever." It's absolutely grim. Glad you're feeling better enough to tell us about it now, and I hope your recovery is swift and painless.

[nanila]

Based on anecdata, it seems like the flu is getting worse.

I'm okay, thank you. Pretty drained, and yesterday I managed to fall down the stairs although thankfully on my bottom so not badly hurt apart from a bruised wrist and ankle. But I'm better.

[sfred]

Glad you're starting to recover.

[nanila]

Thank you; me too! And very grateful!

[ceb]

Bleh, sounds like no fun at all :-(

[nanila]

It was awful. Don't get it! It's horrible! And it's doing the rounds.

[davidgillon]

Oh, ick! Glad you're over it.

[nanila]

Thank you. I'm still pretty drained and weak so spending a lot of time lying or sitting down. But definitely loads better.

[lurkingcat]

That sounds hideous. Glad to hear that you're feeling better now.

[nanila]

It is! Don't get it! It's definitely doing the rounds. I have at least two neighbours who've had it since end of January.

[pulchritude]

I'm glad you are feeling better! ♥

[nanila]

Thank you! Me too. It's good to be back on my feet. :)

[calissa]

Sounds like it has been a vicious season for illness. I hope it doesn't decide to migrate south with the winter.

I am also very glad to hear you're feeling better. 💛

[nanila]

I hope so too. It's awful. Don't get it!

Thank you. I'm hopeful that I'll be back to full strength by the start of next week.

[rmc28]

Glad you are over it, and glad the baby didn't get it.

Take the time you need to get well again - convalescence is important :-)

[nanila]

Thank you on both counts. It would have been even worse if he'd gotten it.

Doing lots of sitting/lying down. :)

[major_clanger]

Urk - sounds exactly like what someone else we know has just been off for a week with. Here's hoping your recovery continues!

[nanila]

DON'T GET IT. It's horrible. I'm glad said person stayed at home with it because it does NOT need to be spread around.

Am getting better slowly. It's very nice to be back on my feet, even for limited periods!

[sunflowerinrain]

Glqd you're recovering. Take it slowly. Big hugs.

[nanila]

Thank you. I'm doing my best. Slowly doesn't come naturally to me but am still pretty weak so I have to! :) Big hugs in return.

[ayebydan]

Were you not offered a fly jab in the winter because you were pregnant? That is standard up here and would have saved you a world of pain :( Glad to hear you are on the mend and that the wee man is ok.

[nanila]

I was offered it, but stupidly I never made time to get one. :( I should have done.

Thank you. I'm pretty close to being back up to full strength now. Phew.

[lark_ascends]

:( *hugs you gently* Take it easy.

After something that ended up flu-like last year (I'd thought a very nasty cold, but GP said was a form of the flu) that I passed on to my sister when I visited, but Mum and Dad avoided (the only two out of the four of us who had the flu shot), I'm getting the flu shot this year. Unfortunately, though, even with that, there is no guarantee - they might pick wrong on the strains.

[nanila]

Thank you. I think I'm back at full strength now but it's taken a while, and I had to go to bed at 7 PM last night. But feeling very sprightly today so that's good.

Next year I'm definitely getting a flu shot.