Sickness is a roller coaster ride

I am living under a self-imposed quarantine here at the Berg household, hanging out in my bedroom far away from anyone I can contaminate with my bug. It all started with that feeling.

You know, the feeling you get when you think you are starting to get sick and hope that you are not? It feels a little like you are just cresting the top of a roller coaster hill and have no idea what might be coming next. Though, having been sick before, you know it isn't good. Well, this week I had that feeling, and before I had a chance to catch my breath and close my eyes and grab hold of the safety bar, away I went.

It started with a little itch in the back of my throat. I thought it might have been allergies or something I ate, but that was just wishful hoping. The next morning, I woke up with a head full of stuff, a sore throat and a slight earache. My thought was, “Not now, I don't have time to be sick!”

As if any one of us ever has time to be sick, right?

That was Sunday. I made it to church, grabbed a sweet afternoon nap and drank some hot tea, all with the hope of avoiding the inevitable. By Monday morning, it was clear that the roller coaster ride was just beginning.

I made it to work Monday and went straight to bed Monday night with NyQuil and some Kleenex. By Tuesday morning, I thought about staying home, but alas, work was calling. So I did what so many of us do. I dragged myself into work and tried to cope. By noon it was clear that I needed to head home.

What I should have done is drive myself to the doctor's office right then and there. But I was so exhausted, I wanted to crawl into bed even more than I wanted to see the doctor. That was a big mistake. Tuesday night was pretty miserable, not much sleep was had. Up and down, blowing my nose, coughing, sneezing, trying desperately to find a comfortable position in bed when every part of my body was hurting.

Wednesday morning dawned, and I dropped the kids off at school and drove my sad little self to the doctor. I had not showered in two days and was wearing the same yoga pants and hoodie that I had been wearing for the entire two days of my illness. In my defense, I did not have the energy to change clothes. I thought about showering Wednesday morning but thought looking like death-warmed-over (and smelling about that bad as well) might work in my favor. It helps to look as sick as you feel at the doctor's office, at least in theory.

There is nothing worse than going to the doctor and finding out you have some viral crud that no medication can fix and you just have to suffer through the ride. So maybe this would help. Have I mentioned how much I love doctors and nurse practitioners, especially those who prescribe medication that makes you feel better?

Today, I am thankful to be vertical and functioning. Guess there's no avoiding being sick. Once you get that feeling, it's best to just catch your breath and close your eyes and grab hold of the safety bar, and let out a bellowing scream, because the hill is steep and the ride is just beginning.

For now, I am just wondering how you spell quarantine, anyway.