I am finally emerging from the agony that is the flu after 5 days of misery. Some things I learned from living in the spare bedroom alone for a week in a flu-induced fog has made me develop a new perspective on some things.
No warning
There is no warning and the flu comes on FAST! Sunday afternoon I was laying on the couch and I remember saying “I feel like crap I really hope it isn’t anything serious”. No big deal, right? I really didn’t do much the rest of the day Sunday except lay around, I got a shower and went to bed at 6pm that evening. My throat was sore and I had a slight fever. I woke up on Monday really just feeling horrible, but since I had just had a week off of work for our cruise the last thing I wanted to do was call in sick. I went to work, which I now realize I definitely shouldn’t have. A co-worker told me to go to CVS Minute Clinic and get a flu test. So I went on my break. The visit confirmed what I already knew in the back of my head but didn’t want to admit-I had the flu.
Do not force yourself
Don’t force yourself to do anything. It hit hard and fast. Body aches, fever, headache, sore throat and fatigue. I got my prescription for Tamiflu and took everything I “needed” in the spare bedroom. At certain moments I thought “oh I feel better” I would get up to do something and be so exhausted in a few minutes. I learned to just go with the flow, don’t force yourself to do anything. The flu takes time and your body needs rest! Sleep is your best friend. I slept so much and I believe that was a big part of my healing.
Family and friends mean so much
I’m so thankful to have family so close. My mom lives across the street and she made sure I had soup and tea. That’s what moms are for right? My stepdad ran to the store and got the girls’ snacks, milk, pizza and anything that they needed for the week. I had friend’s sending food, texts, cards, and just little things the make me smile. It’s humbling and awesome when people you care about step up and try to help. I am so thankful for them.
No guilt about binge-watching Netflix
Binge-watching Netflix helped me survive those long nights alone. Even if most of the shows I was watching was stuff I had already seen before. I couldn’t concentrate on starting a new show so I went back to old ones that I loved and restarted them. I didn’t have to feel guilty about watching Netflix until my eyes fell out…literally.
My girls truly are best friends
I always knew my daughters loved each other, but they are sisters which means they fight and argue over EVERYTHING. I think the true meaning of ‘friends’ really hit home when they had to be mature and get along in the mornings with very little supervision. I am not proud that I was basically MIA for the last week. I don’t remember much of anything they told me about school, I missed Mackenzie’s award ceremony for All A honor roll, and I couldn’t get up with them in the morning to make sure they got off to school. My two caring daughters knew the reason and they stepped up and they sure did surprise me. I managed to wake up and take myself downstairs to make sure everything was going smoothly, they had their lunches packed, they were dressed and ready for school, they even had their teeth and hair brushed! They walked together to the bus stop and Kenzie even text me to let me know they got on the bus okay. My grandmother usually comes over to supervise in the mornings but I didn’t want her in the house with all the germs floating around. My girls’ truly impressed me this week and I have to say how proud I am of them.
All in all, having the flu was a pretty awful experience and one that I do not want to experience again any time soon. Being alone in a room that is usually empty unless we have visitors over was depressing and sad. But I know it was the best thing for my family, and I think by staying in there for a week while I was suffering was what kept them from getting sick.
There is nothing worse than the flu. Be prepared and know it won’t last forever.
Stay healthy, ya’ll.