Wednesday, March 4, 2009

SICK MAN BLOGGING…AGAIN!

Well, it has been a while since my last posting…simply because it has been a while since I was capable of remaining vertical for more than a few minutes. I began sniffing and snuffling last Saturday. A cold, I figured, and went to bed at my usual time. Colds are a rarity for me; I’ve had maybe a dozen during my entire life and they typically endured only a day or so. I awoke worse Sunday morning—aching, weak, still snuffling. As sore overall as if I’d been thoroughly beaten with a club. Since I’d had an annual flu shot, I figured maybe a mild case of some strain not covered by this season’s cocktail mix; combined with the aforementioned cold, a sort of drippy chaser. No other symptoms, though, including fever. I mostly stayed in bed except for forays to the kitchen for juice and tea and doses of acetaminophen. In spite of which, I kept going downhill as the day progressed. Monday and Tuesday was rock bottom; the absolute pits. The cold was still there. I was even weaker, and still ached in every muscle; yet still had no fever, congestion in lungs, sore throat, or other symptoms usual with the flu. Nevertheless, it felt like worst flu case ever. It was all I could do to sit up long enough to drink juice and swallow meds. I tried bringing the laptop to bed and managed about 5 minutes online a couple of times. Day and night became one long 48-hour ordeal. Most of the time I was so sick I couldn’t read. Luckily, I’d gone to the library Saturday and picked up several Books on CD titles; I’ve now listened to the first few disks of the new Elizabeth George mystery perhaps a dozen times each because I kept napping during various sections and had to replay the things to keep up with the plot. Today—meaning late this afternoon—I arose as if from the dead, a rather unlikely Lazarus in dire need of a shower. Showering so drained me that recovery required a brief return to bed rest. Later on, I tried an encore arising and ate chicken soup. That prompted a following nap on the couch. Just before sunset, I staggered onto the deck for a few minutes of chilly sunshine and some fresh air…and I’m still up, if barely. Hallelujah! Whatever malevolent nasty that appeared like a wraith and had it way with me over the past four days has apparently decided to seek fresh blood elsewhere. Now, with renewed faith the worst is behind me, I’m watching the western sky drain its last vestiges of crepuscular light. Clouds seen through skeletal sycamores across from the cottage are glowing salmon-pink against a background of oceanic blue. There are Canada geese in the air, flying fast and low as they head upstream toward their night roost on nearby ponds. A white-throated sparrow whistles soft vespers. I’m glad to be back.

42 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

That mus have been scary to getso sick so fast. I'm happy that you're feeling better and that you're back to writing your beautiful words. I sure do like you writing style. Take care not to push too fast. Rest lots. Drink lots of water and juice.
(Mom tone signing off!)

KGMom said...

Sounds awful. An old term around here is the grip. Isn't that apt? The grip--flu plus aches and pains.
Sorry for your troubles. Glad you are sort of up and about.

Deb said...

I'm sorry you've been so under the weather; must've been the same thing I had a couple weeks ago. Glad you're feeling better!

Jain said...

Crepuscular - a vastly underrated word. ;o)

It's twisted, I know, but sometimes I wish I'd get a good ol' fashioned cold -- ah, to sleep for 12 hours! It's the only thing that slows me down and it's been a long time.

Glad you survived!

Val said...

Oh Grizzled, I'm glad you're back too! I've been thinking about you and hoping for your speedy recovery!

A said...

So glad you're on the mend again.

Grizz………… said...

Lynne…

About as scary as stepping off the curb and having a bus run over you.

Okay…not THAT scary. Actually, it just made me mad. WHY ME! WHO CARRIED THAT BUG IN HERE! Like that—when I could rouse myself into any sort of emotional state other than that or a carrot.

Water, juice, gotcha!

Thanks!

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

Grip sounds about right to me. I am feeling sorta better.

Thank you.

Grizz………… said...

Deb…

Yes, you do understand whereof I speak.

(I didn't pass you in some WalMart about a week ago, did I?)

Thank you.

Grizz………… said...

JMS…

Crepuscular is indeed a fine and seldom employed word—so much so that if you now use it twice in the year it's consider an affectation. And this by the same folks who append "you know" to the end of all their sentences…you know?

Twisted or not, I too used to welcome a rare cold or a day or two of flu exactly for the same reason—forced sleep and a break from responsibility. This time was more like a daily beating interspersed with bouts of coma.

Next week will tell the tale regarding actual survival…

Thanks.

Grizz………… said...

Val…

Semi=back. But glad for even that much. Thank you for thinking and hoping…

Grizz………… said...

Forest…

It's hard to keep a grizzled scribe down—

Well, apparently not THAT hard. Your blog is no longer safe, however.

You had your own ordeal recently, as I recall. Maybe we both passed Deb at WalMart?

Thank you.

A said...

My blog is no longer "safe"?

:-S

That sounds ominous.

?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a dose of haemophilus influenzae or something similar...good to see you back, but beware, you may still need to take things easy and stay in a retreat mode for a little longer...rest up like badger in his cave during winter!

Grizz………… said...

Bella…

I just awakened from a night's sleep in which I've only had a couple of "incidents," dreams (I think!) too goofy weird to be called nightmares; I'm no longer snuffling; no longer hurting all over and weak. Not well, but great compared to the previous five days.

I do plan to take it easy for the next few days, though, so don't worry. I feel energized without feeling energetic—if that makes sense. Badger mode sounds like great advice to me.

Thank you

Grizz………… said...

Forest…

I meant that in the nicest possible way. :-)

Unsafe in that brevity not being my strong suit, I am again a pithy (if often long) comment waiting to happen.

Your fine blog makes me think…which in turn leads to a desire to add my take on the matter at hand into the discussion. That's why I enjoy it so much—because it's a good, often lively conversation among thinking fellow travelers with diverse backgrounds and fairly different opinions, yet mostly sharing a common goal—to make the best of this journey that we can.

Think of me as a muskie lurking under the lily pads waiting for a tasty idea/poem/quote to go floating overhead…

A said...

"a missile lurking under the lilypads"

I like it. :)

Thanks for the clarification and the praise...whether deserved or not. :)

Anonymous said...

Yay!! Welcome back to the vertical world!!! Hope you're back to 100% soon!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

So soory you're struggling against a sickness. You know it's serious when eating a bowl of soup is such a strenuous activity a nap is required afterward!

I've had the flu, too--mine actually with fever and cough--and DID have flu shot, too! Oh well, could have been worse, I guess!

Hope you're feeling a bit stronger every day...

Grizz………… said...

Forest…

The praise was/is deserved. I wasn't just being polite.

But it is "muskie" (or as it is sometimes alternately spelled, "musky") a leg-long, toothy, north-country gamefish, "the tiger in the reeds" or "wolf of the water" and not "missile"; I am, after all, a fisherman rather than an arms dealer. The only weapons of mass destruction I possess (even in a simile/metaphor) is an Irish gift of gab and an internet connection. :-;

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

Thank you. Though I must admit it's still not a "continuously vertical" world…yet. But, fer better or worser, i'ze here!

Anonymous said...

Nina…

I frankly don't know what I had—whether flu or something else. But it was awful. And sorry to hear you were also sick. It isn't all that much fun—a sick session—as it used to be, I think. Not for me, anyway. I saw the other day that some doctors are now recommending patients who got their flu shot back in September/October receive a booster. (Probably too late for us!) Which is the first I've ever heard of a flu booster shot.

Hey, not five minutes before your comment came in, I'd read your blog re. the pine warbler. That's a neat bird to see this time of year—and I'll just bet it did winter over.

Any salamanders in the pond yet?

Thank you.

Gail said...

Hi-

looks like you are over the worst of it - still go real slowly as flu's like yours need time to end---

great photo! wow!

Love Gail
peace.....

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Thank you. I will go slow—planning on a couch potato day today, in fact.

The photo was just a quick shot off the deck yesterday evening—quick upload—quick post. Pretty, but the camera and nature did the work.

The Weaver of Grass said...

And I am glad you are back - I have really missed my daily dose of life on your bend of the river. Do hope you are soon completely well again. Best wishes

Susan at Stony River said...

I do hope you're feeling better--I'm just getting over a terrible cold or flu and hate feeling that run down. Like you, I made it up to take a bath, and it sent me straight back to bed! Hurrah for Spring; I'll be glad when this cold season is over.

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

I'm glad to be up and more or less mended (able to sit up all day, at least), and happy to be able to see "my" river and try to write about it. And frankly, I've missed being able to read other blogs (yours, for one) as well.

Thank you.

Grizz………… said...

Susan…

Sounds like you've had a rough round yourself. I with you on wanting this behind me and being able to enjoy the slow unfolding dance of spring.

Thank you.

Grizz………… said...

Nina…

That comment from "Anonymous" was from me. I my post-plague funk, I apparently clicked on one of the buttons. Just wanted to make that clear.

The Solitary Walker said...

Dear Badger or Anonymous or whatever your post-flu identity now is! (Chameleon?)

Very glad you are on the mend. (Bloggers beware! No blog - and no 'muskie' for that matter - is now safe from imaginative and protracted raids..!)

Making the 'best of this journey' continues...

Grizz………… said...

Solitary…

Protracted raids? Lengthy, maybe…but pro-trac-ted? I am wounded! Simply because I never settle for saying with one word what can be better said with ten. Protracted, indeed! Ha!

And the muskie/missile thing was justified. A righteous follow-up. Forest Wisdom lives in the heart of muskie country. I think he just did that to check my pulse and make sure I was on my toes. He didn't think I was protracted.

Actually, climbing to the other side of the fence, that would be a pretty good name (or identity) for another blog, The Protracted Badger. Something between a '60s rock band and a small vineyard. (Protracted Badger Wine. Plays well, I think; has good label/logo possibilities. You know anything about wine?)

Kidding aside…

Thank you.

The Solitary Walker said...

You put me well and truly on the rack, Sir!

Stretching moderately-sized mammals is quite definitely illegal, though, Grizzled - even in Minnesota, I should think.

But I think I may have tasted that Badger wine someplace - a fine if snuffly nose with an aftertaste of huckleberries, if my memory serves correctly.

Grizz………… said...

Solitary…

So, lemmie see…I'm protracted, you're racked…and someone else has beaten us to making our wine? Bummer!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I'll drink a glass of Badger wine to your health, Grizzled!

Glad you are feeling better and looking forward to more riverside postings!

Grizz………… said...

Raph…

My health would be greatly improved, indeed, if we could all gather some fine spring day to sit beside a gentle river, with Ratty and Mole and old Badger, and share a few tipples.

Until then…

Thank you.

The Solitary Walker said...

Sounds like an excellent idea. In the meantime - here's to your health!

Anonymous said...

Well, that certainly sounds like flu, even though you didn't have a fever. I'm glad you're on the mend!

Carolyn h.

Grizz………… said...

Carolyn…

I'm glad, too. But there is indeed some mending to be done.

I was just out for a short ramble to visit a favorite old tree maybe a quarter mile from the cottage. A hundred yards into the walk, I had to turn around, return, and take the truck. Even then, the 100 yards to the woods and back was about my limit.

Did shoot a few frames of a little yellow flower I didn't recognize—though ought to. I've thumbed through my Newcomb's and a half-dozen other guides and can't make it. Probably because I failed to check for basal leaves and other key features. That's what laziness and assuming I knew something gets me.

Anyway, thank you.

Unknown said...

Eat lots of hot peppers, and don't skimp on the yogart (it boosts immunity). Most of all lots of rest. But it sounds like you are on the rebound.

Grizz………… said...

Robert…

No problem on the hot peppers—I keep three or four varieties in the fridge most of the time and use them in all sorts dishes. I don't eat much yogurt since I quit making it several years ago, though I've thought about doing it again.

I had some serious health problems as a child and early-teen, but from my late-teen years onward, I've always had a pretty good immune system—perhaps a head cold every 6-8 years, flu even less frequently, sore throat once per decade…and so on. If I did start getting the sniffles, chills, or felt bad, a night's bed rest was usually all it took.

Don't know if I'm changing, or just had a run of bad luck (I'm not going to mention age) but whatever nailed me this time around was mean. However, I do feel lots better and expect to be pretty much back to normal (abnormal?) within a week or so.

Thank you for your suggestions, though. I may get back into the yogurt making business.

Anonymous said...

"...little yellow flower..." Duckweed?

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

Nope. Appreciate the guess though. I guessed awhile myself—and I could actually see the plant in situ and its photos afterwards. But I finally figured it out.

Give me an hour—maybe less. I'm writing that post now.