i had forgotten how much i hate to be sick.
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See, i never get sick. Aside from chronic condition, which is more of a genetic abnormality than an illness, i never catch or come down with anything. While all the people around me pissing and moaning about colds, flu, allergies, headaches, etc etc….i never catch anything. I walk around blissfully uneffected by the world of common germs. i think the last time i stayed home sick from something was like Strep Throat in 5th grade, er sumthin’...
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So, it has come as a very very rude surprize, since taking the job at the Daycare Ctr, to find my special little immune system is not so immune after all. Started on day 4, with a cold. Which, ten weeks later, has never left. Two weeks in, i had a fever for the first time in eons. The one old glass & mercury thermometer i had, hadnt been used in so long it didnt even register my temperature. I went out and invested heavily in Theraflu, Halls Cough Drops. Didnt Help. After a day off, came back to the classroom to be re-infected, and started running a fever again. Was advised to try Aerborne, Cold-Eeze. Bought them in mass quanties, and took them faithfully every day. The major symptoms subsided, but the underlying cough & cold persisted. I’ve been told that everyone working in Daycare goes thru this FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. A Year??
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2 weeks ago, started running a major fever again, knew i needed antibiotics. Dr diagnosed me as having Bronchitis. yee haw. 7 days of antibiotics, it was reduced to a rattle in my chest—not gone, but tolerable. Then over the weekend, the coughing got worse. And Worse. And WORSE. Coughed my head off all Sunday night, getting no sleep. Management at daycare says i’ve already taken maximum amount of days allowed off for a new employee. I’m not authorized for any more sick days. WHA? I’m not AUTHORIZED to be sick?? are you kidding me?!
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Back to Drs for another major dose of antibiotics. ‘Got home coughing so hard, and so feverish, i cranked the thermostat up to 90 degrees so i could get warm. the kitties looked at me in horror everytime i went into 5-min-spasmotic-coughing-attack: what the hell is that rumbling hacking loud creature?? And what has she done with our loving owner???
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Yesterday was truly one of the most miserable days of my Life. It seems terribly petty to say a day home sick is the worst day of your life. But the thing that i forgot about being sick, is how fucking boring it is. You cant enjoy any food. You dont want to watch a movie. You dont have the energy to do anything with all your time. But you’re coughing too hard & too much to sleep. And while the sweat pours off your face, you’re wrapped in 3 layers of clothes and 4 blankets because you cant get warm. Incredibly Boring. I have found my threshold of insanity, and it is being bored to death by bronchitis.
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When the fever broke slightly about 1 a.m. last night, i got oddly amused at the notion of capturing myself on film in my most horrific state. Unfortunately i dont have a tripod or timer, so most of my self-portrait attempts missed my head entirely. I had to laugh at the images of myself tho: i looked like i’d come off a Heroin jag or was a mugshot for domestic violence. Pretty Sad Looking. Maybe i should post one of these on my internet dating sites—ya know, cut thru the riff-raff: “If you can tolerate looking at me at my worst, give me a call !”
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Nonetheless, while pondering all these silly scenarrios, i was no longer bored….
