I fall ill; the world becomes strangely quiet
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 4:02AM ;)
This is as bright as the day ever got for me.
Following a miserable night, I was awakened by Margie, who stood at the foot of the bed moving the blankets that covered my feet.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
She answered, but in a voice so quiet that I could not make out a single word.
"What?" I repeated.
Again, she spoke in the decibel of a whisper, although I knew she had not whispered. She had just spoken quietly. I was growing annoyed. Why was she doing this to me?
"I couldn't understand a word you said," I grumbled. "Speak louder."
She raised her voice until I could barely make it out. The blankets had slipped down onto her crutches. She had moved the blankets.
;)
Although I had begun the day before feeling okay - just a bit of raspiness in my throat, irritated by all the glacier dust that the wind had whipped into the air, and some stuffiness in my sinuses that I attributed totally to the dust, I had gone to bed in a terrible state. My throat was so sore that it burned - it felt as though I had gargled with scalding-hot water. My nose was so plugged that I could breathe only through my mouth. Pain and congestion in my upper chest caused me to cough every now and then. When I coughed, it hurt.
It took me a long time to go to sleep and then I didn't sleep well. I wanted to sleep more and so I pulled the covers over my head. I then became aware that my heart beat sounded very strange - muffled, kind of squishy. I wondered what this meant. I went back to sleep and did not wake up until after 10:00 AM.
Now, I knew that it was not just the dust. I was sick. This was not going to be a good day.
I went into the living room and found Margie and Lavina. Yesterday, Lavina stepped on a splatter of water mixed with Muzzy slobber, her feet flew out from under her and she came down hard on her hips even as her head smacked against the wall. The baby in her is fine and she broke no bones, but she is very sore and will spend the rest of the week at home.
When Margie and Lavina greeted me, I could hardly hear them.
;)
It was like I wore Boze headphones, turned on to quiet to filter out noise. Margie had not been speaking quietly, but my sinuses had completely filled up. I could hardly hear.
I fixed oatmeal with raisens, walnuts and a sprinkling of cinnamon for Lavina and me. Margie had already eaten.
Afterwards, I felt so sluggish, miserable and terrible that I could do nothing. I struggled on until 11:00 AM, then went back into the bedroom and laid back down on the bed, where I was joined by three cats. I dozed back off, and stayed in a state of dozing, punctuated by brief moments of semi-consciousness, until nearly 4:00 PM.
This is awful, because I have too much to do, but I knew that the only reason that I had collapsed like that is because my body needed to rest.
;)
So, at 4:00 PM, I stepped outside for the first time. I climbed into the car and, having done nothing but sleep all day, took my coffee break, then sipped my brew as I drove down by Iona Grotto. It was overcast and dark. It was very strange, driving through the afternoon darkness, as if I was in some kind of utterly quiet, electronic vehicle.
I feel horrible. All I want to do is to lay back down and go back to sleep.
Where the hell is the snow? I want it to snow.
Reader Comments (14)
Hope you get a good day's rest and feel better soon! The flu is around...so take precautions!
Wishing you snow and a speedy recovery. It sucks to be sick!
I love the photos! very moody.
Oh, gees. The flu is going around down here, as well. I hope you feel better soon. I'm glad that Lavinia was not badly hurt, although it must have scared the bejeebers out of all of you.
*tiptoes out, quietly shutting door behind her*
Sorry to hear you are sick. Glad your wife was okay. However, that said, aren't you being a just bit too focused on yourself? I've tried reading your blog several times, but can't do so on an ongoing basis even though you seem like an interesting person. You simply seem too self-absorbed too much of the time.
You have so much potential. Perhaps you would enjoy life more if you were more outward-oriented - less looking at your own navel and more on being fascinated by others. I say this as kindly as I can because I do think you have an original voice and talent. Your blog would have more depth if there were a greater empathy and more insight into your family, friends, town. I wish you the best, and I wish you growth. You seem to have many people around you who love and support you. We'd love to hear how you love and support them.
Bill,
Good news about Lavinia and not-so-good news about your health. Maybe it's the revenge of the moose poop?
Get well soon!
Michael
PS...take care of your heart.
Nothing like a Ksflower to kick somebody when they are down. Hopefully she/he will find a blog to read more to their liking, or at least learn to keep judgmental thoughts to themselves. I, for one, love your blog and feel privileged that you share your life and your thoughts, and your photos, with us. Sending big cyberhugs to Lavina. I fell yesterday too, over my own feet, with no major ill-effects but I only have me to worry about. Get well quick -- all of you!
Er. The last phrase that I would apply to this blog is 'self absorbed'. It's all about the town of Wasilla. It's about family. It's an unfolding story about a fellow and the world he walks in. Or bikes in. Or gets sick in. Or finds dogs in. Or whatever.
Arriii, hope you get well soon. I'm well now... back to school tomorrow.
Get well soon, Bill! Just goes to show you´re mortal like the rest of us. I´m sending my get-well greetings all the way from Barcelona. The world will miss your travelings and your photos while you´re recuperating in bed and drinking plenty of fluids. Wonder if they have chicken soup in Wasilla or as we call it in PA Jewish penicillin.
Feel better! Listen to what your body is saying: It wants rest. It needs healing time. And chicken soup. :-)
I remember when I was a kid, my mom never bought sodas much unless we were sick. Then, it was whatever you wanted, as much as you wanted! I may never get over the time I had the barf bug and requested grape Nehi... She bought a case of it, and I barfed grape Nehi for two days -- and I haven't wanted any in about 45 years!
-ccc
P.S.: Grandma Nancy and Debby are right, ksflower is projecting his/her preachy little self-absorbed world view on you, and we love the Wasilla stories! Great to know there are REAL people up there!
How are you now friend?
Whitestone: As I type this, grandma and Kalib are off getting their swine-flu vaccinations. Lavina and Jacob already have their's. I am wondering if I should get one, now. I don't think this is swine flu that I have right now, but who knows?
Mikey: Thank you. Yes, it does!
ManxMamma - Thanks, and moody was just how I felt.
Debby - It did scare the bejeebers out of us. Thanks for closing the door so quietly.
ksflower - I find these parts of your comment rather encouraging: "You have so much potential... I do think you have an original voice and talent."
Dr. Mickey - Thanks. I think its the revenge of the glacier dust. I just had oatmeal with walnuts, bananas and raspberries.
Grandma Nancy - Thank you and thank goodness that you did not get badly hurt.
Debby - I appreciate the defense. It's always nice when someone makes it clear that they see what you are trying to do.
Roberta - Glad you are well and back to school. I will be going North in about a week. I hope I can get to Wainwright.
Ruth - Ah, Barcelona! I remember the days... actually, I have never been there. So you have to enjoy it for me. And yesterday, I was too down to do any work at all, so I put up eight days worth of posts, one scheduled each day through next Friday. Now, I can concentrate on getting my work done without being distracted by my blog for the next week and still I will have a post up, everyday. They just won't be quite up to date.
Cynthia - Sounds like your mom knew just what to do. I have never liked grape soda.
Standtall - I am improving, but have a ways to go. Hey! I see you have finally made a post from London. I will go read it and see what you have to say.
Oh, I took a fall like that when pregnant. You don´t protect yourself because your hands go flying to your belly. I was so sore..... Hope those bruises go away soon. I used some great creams to get rid of them, something with pig fat.