It’s 3am. I’m awake with full body aches, chest congestion, a runny nose and terrible cough. I haven’t been this sick in many years. I suppose I was “due” for such illness. Working from home has kept me safe from typical seasonal colds that most other people get, but this time it hit me…and hard.
The Onset…
When I went to Texas for New Year’s I immediately got a sore throat. I guessed it was because of the intense cold. I was facing 20° and rainy rather than the 70° and sunny that I’m used to. I kind of blew it off because I was traveling and I didn’t want to ruin my time, plus I wasn’t dealing with any other symptoms. That is, until I returned home.
Upon arriving back in Phoenix after New Year’s, I felt horrific. The possible onset of a cold mixed with the exhaustion of airplane travel was not a fun combination. To top it off, I took Matt into Urgent Care two days later because he became extremely ill with the flu. My sore throat lingered, and I prayed that I wouldn’t contract Matt’s flu germs. He wore a mask around the house and we stayed far away from each other but it wasn’t good enough. Yesterday I saw myself walking through that same Urgent Care door.
Have you ever been tested for the flu? Yikes. It is NO fun. They stick a Q-tip swab up your nose. It’s quick but it’s weird and I definitely didn’t like it. The doc also tested me for strep. I thought for sure I didn’t have the flu because my symptoms were totally different than Matt’s – chest congestion, sore throat and really horrific cough. Well, there’s a reason I’m not a doctor…
Drum Roll Please…
“Your flu test came back VERY positive…”
Okay then. At least I don’t have strep? Let’s look on the bright side, haha!
Overall diagnosis – flu, bronchitis and the onset of pneumonia.
Yesterday I was definitely feeling it and as I write this I feel absolutely horrendous. I’m finally experiencing body aches and sinus congestion. I don’t have an appetite, but I’ve been drinking lots of fluids and forcing myself to eat yogurt and saltine crackers so I have something in my stomach to take all of the medications.
The doctor took care of me in terms of prescribing me meds to get me through this terrible trifecta of illnesses. Matt is STILL sick so our house is germ infested, no doubt. As of yesterday I was still contagious so I’m keeping myself quarantined. I’m just glad I can’t spread the germs to my babies! Imagine if we could give the flu to our animals – yikes!
My sickness comes at a terrible time. We’re trying to get our house on the market since we close on the new one on January 31. If you guessed that I haven’t done any packing of my current home, you are correct. I have to give myself plenty of time to rest and recover so I don’t overdo it and become sick again.
Although I’m battling the flu, bronchitis and pneumonia, it could always be worse. I’m grateful that it will pass and that I work from home so I don’t have to worry about missing work! There are always positives in the negatives.
So what about you – have you gotten sick at all this season?
Eliza says
I hope you feel better soon! That sounds horrendous!
Amanda says
Thank you friend!
Camille says
Yes…it sounds like the flu you have is the same one I had over Christmas while I was visiting family in Ohio. It went through my entire family, then I got back to Arizona to find my whole office was sick with it too! VERY bad flu season this year. 🙁 Hope you feel better soon!
Amanda says
It’s terrible this season! I guess I was bound to get it like everyone else 🙁