Sick

So I've been sick for about the last 3 weeks. You gotta admit, when I get sick I don't fool around.  None of this crybaby, I-have-a-bad cold sissypants crap. No, I go whole hog for the pneumonia, the ear infection, the sinus infection or whatever else will make the pharmaceutical companies richer this week.

This time it was bronchitis, which is kind of like pneumonia that hasn't quite made it to the finish line yet.  It started out as a simple cold. It always does. Well, this time it might have been flu.  Anyway, I felt rotten for a couple of days, stayed in bed one weekend, and called in sick on Monday. (Nothing like calling in sick to a job you've had for a week. Eesh.)  Tuesday I felt better, so I went back to work. Wednesday I felt worse, and down the rabbit hole we went.

I finally went to the doctor.  I'm also breaking in a  new doctor, so she hasn't seen me do this every April and October for the last ten years. I told her I couldn't breathe, even with the nebulizer and the resue inhaler going full bore.  She asked me was I taking my inhaled corticosteroids. (Yep.).  And I still couldn't breathe. (Nope.)  So she sent me down for an x ray.  That was great, having to walk across half this hospital to Radiology when I, uh, couldn't breathe. I should have made them take me in a wheelchair.

Anyway, the x ray came back that I didn't have pneumonia.  Yay. I did, however, have bronchitis and my lungs were full of fluid.  That's why the nebulizer wasn't working; nebulizers can't help you breathe unless you have pissed-off alvioli that need soothing.  Alvioli drowning in glop need not apply. 

So a cortisone shot, antibiotics and a bunch of other stuff and we were off to the races.  It's about three weeks later and I'm just starting to feel like I can maybe do some stuff.  When I'm sick and have to go to work, which is most of the time, I just do as little as possible other than working.  I don't swim, I don't go to my meditation group, I just go to work and go to bed.  Not that I'd be a jolly companion anyway, but I miss my life, man, ya know? It's been so long since I've been in the pool, I'm not sure I know what to do after I jump in.

Also, most of my friends are to be found at this Stuff I Do in the evening. So besides not swimming, I don't get to see anybody.  I could call people, I guess, but apparently I'm as bad at calling people as I am at staying healthy during flu season.  So it's been a long lonely stretch.

Anyway, I am feeling better, and I'm reporting to the pool first thing Saturday. But honestly, I could do without the whole semiannual ritual. Any suggestions? Vitamin C, maybe? Echinacea? Lots of chocolate?