Saturday 21 January 2012

Paradise and love can only go so far...

The last few days have been a bit of a trial for me.  I appear to have contracted some generic flu/cold bug of some sort that started as a sinus issue with increases in pain and fatigue.  Now it has moved to my upper respiratory tract giving me a gravelly voice and a phlegmy cough.  The problem with this is that so many of the symptoms are actually just an increase of those that already contribute to my average day.

There have been times when I have used the analogy of how one feels when one has the flu to describe the nature of the constant low level pain and fatigue that are just part of the baseline for me.  When an ordinary (read "healthy") person comes down with a bug they feel sore and tired.  They like to rest more and lie down more but they can force themselves to do a strenuous activity if they really must.  Welcome to my normal.

So here I am, happier than I have ever been in my life, enjoying paradise with fabulous food, wonderful company, and virtually no stress and feeling really quite crappy.  Yesterday was the worst day for the flu'ish feeling.  Today just feels like a quite unpleasant flare with the added pleasure of a very sore throat.

There are a lot of bugs in the tropics, ones with multiple legs, not just bacteria and viruses!  I know that seems rather obvious but when you have weird skin sensations where you feel like you are being bitten or stung for no good reason, or when you feel things walking on your skin that really aren't there, the added factor of the presence of "actual" bugs makes for a weird mindset.  I'm slapping myself too often, getting sudden stabbing pains in a tiny spot and then searching for something that caused it.  People could be forgiven for thinking my condition was psychological instead of physiological or neurological (the verdict is still out on that one re Fibromyalgia though the current theory is blaming the central nervous system) when they see me scrounging around looking for imaginary ants, spiders and beetles.

Sooooo...  I just took some pain killers and I'm getting my poop in a group for another social engagement this evening.  I have been out more since I arrived here last Tuesday than I was in four months in Sydney!  It seems that a highly social two thousand can outdo an insular five million hands down.  Of course TLOML is very social and involved in all kinds of things and in Sydney I was verging on reclusive.  The good thing is that most things are very close to home here.  TLOML and I haven't really got the "I need to go home now" signal down yet.  I don't like a big fuss and would like to be able to just slip quietly away if I'm getting too tired or sore to party on.  We are working on it.  Certainly this evening I might come home quite early (unless a couple of glasses of wine does what pain killers can't do) and I have no problem with TLOML staying on especially as we will only be a couple of blocks from home!

I have had a remarkably good run.  I managed to avoid colds and flu for well over a year including time spent on two different continents!  So I'm going to try and suck it up and have a good evening in spite of having a nasty dose of crud!


9 comments:

  1. I am amazed & impressed that you've not gotten any bugs in the last year! I think you're clearly doing something right in that respect; I hope this one goes away quickly. It makes sense that with all the change in your life & your routine, your immunity might take a little dip. Hoping thhat you're already feeling much better. :)

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    1. I know Kris I was really lucky. The last time I was sick was maybe October 2010 when I was in Houston TX, I was attacked by fire ants and was quite sick for a few weeks. I guess I was overdue LOL.

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  2. Sounds like you're really busy considering. And the climate, is it better for the M.E.? What you describe with the flu symptoms is exactly what I get...the more I do, the more severe the symptoms.

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    1. I know bad days feel like the flu without the mucus etc to me too. I'm not sure about the climate there is a certain lethargy that goes with being in a really warm humid place. I think maybe the heat increases the fatigue but it also reduces the pain.

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  3. Maybe your body has relaxed in this new blissful state of happiness; the defences have gone down a bit and a bug has managed to fight its way in. Hope it's only a short term one and you feel better in the next few days... well, as 'better' as you can ever feel these days. Hope the wine helped too!

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    1. The wine helped HEAPS!!! I've never really been a big drinker but I must say it is hands down the best pain relief/distraction I can find! I am definitely on the mend mate. Thanks!

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    2. Glad the grape worked its magic :-). Red wine is probably a little healthier than white, just a few more antioxidants. In our house we call wine 'health food'. Heh heh heh.

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  4. Oh, bummer. Feel better soon.

    It's hard to really enjoy paradise when you feel crappy.

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  5. Things are looking up Jazz... other than a cough I seem to be back in the land of normal pain and fatigue. It's hard to be thankful for that but I still am!

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