About Me

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Ten years into widowhood, after one year of incredible happiness and nearly 14 years of single blessedness. Retired, and mostly enjoying it. Still knitting. [Zen]tangling.again after a brief hiatus.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Pole-axed

Shortly after I woke up yesterday morning, the sinuses on the right side of my head started to misbehave. I stayed up later than I should, finishing the second book in the Heroes series, falling asleep sometime after 11:30, only to awaken a little after 4:00 this morning with a head full of quick-set cement and a warning something in my right ear. Not pain, exactly, but the merest hint of tenderness.

I puttered for a couple of hours. Paid a couple of bills, shifted some funds, planned out my day. When I stopped, it was a little after 7:00. Ordinarily, I can throw myself into the shower, grab my stuff, and make it to work on time. But this morning I thought, Nah, all I want to do is go back to bed. So I called in sick, warmed up the deer corn bag for my feet, and crashed for another five hours.

I spent the day reading, puttering, studying background articles relating to this part of the Book of Mormon to deepen my understanding, and trying to decide whether to go to the night clinic. Finally, at the last possible minute, I did. I have a prescription and have cancelled my plans for tonight and tomorrow.

The doctor said something interesting. He told me that the new research indicates that the most serious part of an infection is not the infection itself, nor headaches, fever, discharges. It is the fatigue which accompanies infection. And that I had been right to sleep this morning, and to take that warning seriously. (I love being right. Not just thinking that I'm right, but actually being right.)

I've been sleepy-again for a couple of hours now. Rallied a little when I ate dinner, but I can feel myself drooping, and I'm going to do what I normally don't: I'm going to honor that. One of the blessings of my diabetes is that I am learning when to slow down, so that I have a chance to heal before attempting my normal full tilt boogie.

Life is good, and we caught this sinus/ear infection even earlier than the one last year. I am so blessed.

1 comment:

andrea said...

I was a nurse before my children came along. I have always said you need two things when you are ill, plenty of fluids and sleep. Start off with those two and most illnesses can right themselves very quickly. Our bodies are wonderful creations that self heal every day. Give them something extra to work on like an infection and we need to give our bodies what it needs to start working at defeating the virus or bacteria that is invading. After 24 hours of rest and fluids if you aren't returning to your normal self then see a doctor. I am glad I am actually right too.