When I get depressed and hungry

Yesterday was a long day.  I had to get up at 2.  The night before, Ron, upset about various things, decided to get drunk and make a lot of noise, so I didn't fall asleep until probably 9. 

The next day, he was shocked to hear he hadn't been quiet.  I thought it was a pretty cheap shot to take at a sick person who needed her sleep.  I know it wasn't intentional, but as he was drinking, he kept telling me "I might have a problem, make a video".  I told him the next day it isn't my job to make a video, it is his job to be responsible so I don't have problems. 

Anyway, the only good thing I could see: I had a couple of hours to drink my diet caffeinated sodas before I came up on Antibiotic Time.  I can't have sodas around that, they could damage the penicillin. 

We went to work and I did what I could.  They sent out soda delivery to Crosby and it took a while to get it back.  Then, some of the cases were damaged, but we got the rest and put it away. 

We finally left around 10 and went home.  I managed to get a nap.  Ron had wanted to get some takeout, but changed his mind later. 

About the time I had planned to go to bed, my breathe-right nasal strip firmly attached, my medication taken, my nose irrigated, vitamins taken... one of the neighbors decided to play loud music.  It wasn't as loud as it could have been but it was persistent.  Ron, I think, called the police and had that corrected. 

It is a quiet neighborhood.  If you're looking for a place where everyone's playing their loud polkas every Friday night, this is not the place, you'd be better off looking off Airline Drive.  But if you want peace and quiet at 8 PM most every night, we're it. 

I fell asleep and slept late.  waking up at 7:30.  tfgrr (Biscuit is helping). 

I got up and did my God time (did it yesterday, too), ate a decent breakfast, and took my medication.  I was very careful to take it with iced tea and not soda. 

I'm less congested, but I'm still draining and coughing.  I haven't seen any green/yellow crud lately, so that's good.  I believe the infection is clearing up, it's just taking a while. 

I've been eating a big salad every night with dinner in the hopes of improving my nutrition.  Offhand, that was the one single thing I felt would do the most good.  [cough cough]  But I didn't get this run-down overnight, and I won't get better overnight either. 

I just need to be patient.  Boy, I have really taken my health for granted. 

It's interesting, though, when I am physically sick a couple of things happen: 1.  I lose my appetite (still have none) and 2.  My mood goes average (pretty much still).  When I'm better, I get depressed and hungry. 

I'll be glad, I guess, when that happens. 

Awfully tired

I slept better last night and had some dreams, always a good sign my body is healing. 

I got up around 7, did my God Time, and showered.  I ate and took my medication, all of it, and did not have a soda while I did so.  I opted for instant iced tea with stevia. 

I really am down about 10 pounds from a couple weeks ago.  My clothes fit the same, I think some of it is my glycogen stores, but still, not bad. 

I'm still coughing and blowing my nose, that's not going to resolve overnight, but praise God at least I'm getting some sleep.  I started using breathe-right strips at night and that seems to help. 

Ron had been telling me I had to go to the doctor for "an immune shot".  Of course that doesn't exist, but the steroids seem to be doing a pretty good job. 

My left ear gets a little clogged now and then but I've been able to clear it swallowing, yawning, etc. 

I'm debating what to do tonight.  I need to go to bed early, and I need to take my cough suppressant at 8 PM.  So, either I go to bed "on time" and wake up to take it, or I just stay up.  I haven't decided. 

We went to Walmart, Ron wanted to buy me a vaporizer and I "let" him.  It sure isn't hurting.  I got some other items as well, but not much.  Mainly tissues, etc. 

*- - Gravy jumped up to say hello, and give me a lick.  His love language is grooming.  Biscuit is more of a "rub up against me while purring loudly" cat.  Torbie just climbs into my lap.  Baby Girl meows at us, and tolerates petting. 

They each have their own personality. 

Happily, they are letting me sleep by myself (mostly).  We got home from Walmart and I put the stuff away, and took a nap for a couple of hours.  That way I'm at least partly covered if the neighbors have their "gathering" tonight.  They tend to have erratic church gatherings, often when we have a delivery the next day, and we do. 

At any rate, nothing we can do about it. 

Ron's listening to "Devil Woman" singing along and laughing.  I wonder if he's thinking of me. 

Huh, that's a funny thought.  What if Ron's parents had been able to afford to send him to Catholic school?  Assuming he weren't blind.  I don't think private schools really "do" disabilities like that. 

He probably would have been more himself than he already is. 

So, I just wait an hour or so, eat, take my meds... not much of an appetite, being sick and on steroids, but I see that as a good thing.  A lot of people would pay good money for this. 

That's it for today.  I'm still awfully tired. 

Done

Well, I actually got some sleep last night. 

Boy, it's amazing what a difference that will make.  I whine about missing a nap - nearly a week of minimal sleep taught me a real lesson on that. 

I think the steroids make a huge difference.  My poor sinus cavities were so swollen and miserable. 

We got up, went to work, stocked, did some banking, got Burger King, and came home.  I just got some nuggets.  Yeah, the sauce has corn syrup but not enough to significantly impair my immunity.  50 grams is the operative word on that, per my Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. 

It is awful to be hungry, with no appetite.  It reminds me of when I took Prozac.  I felt the same way for years.  Nothing worse than hungry, gagging down food, but I don't want to eat.  Been doing a lot of that, lately. 

I still eagerly await 8 o'clock, twice a day, so I can take my "mucus and cough suppressant" medication.  It has a 12 hour life. 

I was a little sharp with Ron at work, at one point I made a mistake and he asked me "What is wrong with you".  I leaned in and turned my sarcasm to "high".  "I'm sick?  I haven't slept in a week?"  He rolled off. 

Later on, boarding paratransit with some change in a jar, he wanted to do this complicated maneuver.  "Just get in" I told him (apparently in a nasty tone because the driver kept going on about it) "and I'll hand it to you."  The driver kept repeating that "Just get in". 

In the course of our trip, I told her, within 1 month I have 1.  Sprained my finger.  2.  Bladder infection and 3. Sinus infection, working the whole time.  She changed her tune pretty fast after that.  Maybe I was just exhausted, not an abusive "meanie" caregiver after all. 

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not an excuse to crap on people, but I think Ron needs to be just a little accommodating.  Overall he is doing pretty well.  He happily paid for the doctor, both times.  He went along with lowering the thermostat so the hot forced air doesn't dry me out and make me cough. 

But no, I don't want to do truck day tomorrow.  For one, we still have plenty of Coke products.  Two, we have a lot of inventory already.  Three, if I have a lot of inventory on the carts I have to remove it before I get the new stuff, then I have to find a place to put it when I bring the new stuff back.  I think we need one more day of stocking before we can really do that. 

We got everything done, happily.  I did my God Time after we got home and I took a nap (!!).  I'm liking the heated mattress pad. 

One interesting thing I learned from my pill book, if you are taking penicillin, you have to be careful what you take it WITH.  Acidic drinks like soda (even diet!), lemonade, juices, will damage the drug and make it less effective. 

I had a little whoops this morning but I will be careful from now on.  I figure God knows I didn't mean to do it, and allowed enough to stick around and to the job. 

I'll just be so glad when I'm finally better.  I'm still blowing out green/yellow crap so hopefully all the crud in my nose is dying. 

It also confirms I did have a sinus infection.  I think I caught it from the cart attendant at Sam's Club who said "I get sick a lot". 

At any rate, I also got some salad.  Dark leafy greens, premixed, and some dressing.  Of course I got dressing all over my shirt last night but I will put a towel on when I'm eating tonight, or something. 

I figure half a hamburger and a salad ought to hold all my medication tonight  I'm trying to take my antibiotics and 6 and 6.  The other one goes 8 and 8. 

I'll just be glad when this is done! 

Sinusitis

I got some fitful sleep last night, and after my God time and shower this morning, caught a pretty good nap later. 

One secret: I made my bed with the heated mattress pad.  I can't abide very hot forced indoor air right now, but I don't want to freeze either.  The heated pad offers a good option.  The cats like it, too. 

The rest was just me, lying patiently in bed, thinking calming thoughts. 

I woke up with a mild frontal headache, which progressed.  I was also "blowing" out greenish-yellow crud, as I have he last couple days.  Great.  A sinus infection. 

I had Ron call doc and set up an appointment, then I took my nap.  I got a couple hours, 2-3 I think.  Not bad. 

Who knew sleep could be so hard to attain? 

So, I went to the doctor.  We (I took a cab) got stuck in traffic for nearly an hour.  Ugh.  The driver remarked I seemed very subdued, my aunt had remarked I sounded terrible last night. 

I saw doc pretty quick, for him.  He said I have a classic presentation.  Bacterial sinusitis.  He gave me steroids and a prescription antibiotic.  Like my other doc, he works with me to figure out what will work.  He also factors in the cost of the medication. 

Oh,  I'm tired.  Anyway, Doc seemed pretty convinced this would fix me up.  I sure hope so. 

I'm just ready to go to bed and sleep! 

Careful

Well, Ron gave me three days off, back to work on Sunday, lots of stocking and wiped out my inventory.  This morning, back to work, got a delivery, went to the warehouse, got a truckload of supplies, loaded, back to work, unloaded, onto carts, into the building, vending machines, and stockroom. 

At least it wasn't raining this time, unlike last week! 

Symptoms: mainly, miserably congested with a nasty postnasal drip cough.  My period finally finished.  I can only breathe through my mouth at night, which makes it difficult to sleep.  I am managing to catch some sleep in 1 and 2 hour increments, and it's apparently "enough" for now.  I have to lay still, patiently calming myself, before I can drop off. 

What can I take?  Well, not decongestants, and not for a couple of reasons.  1.  They contraindicate my medication.  2.  They don't really work.  3.  They make me manic. 

Remember the part about lying quietly in bed?  Yeah.  Impossible with a mania. 

Let me tell you, lying in bed quietly breathing through my mouth, managing the anxiety, is exhausting.  If anything's going to make me fall asleep... it's that. 

What can I take?  Well, so far my only contender has been the 12 hour guiafenesen with cough suppressant.  They don't sell the cough suppressant by itself, not that I could see, so I got that.  Clearly I can't take the Sudafed formulas.  It helps, appreciably, minimal side effects other than an odd taste and a very dry mouth and throat at times, but workable. 

And I can work, I'm not just lying there hacking up a lung.  I did some laundry and I'm being very careful about my diet, only eating high quality proteins, fats, and carbs. 

I just wish I weren't so tired and congested. 

4 hour pills

I didn't sleep too well last night, but I got a 3 hour nap and then a 4 hour.  I took it. 

This is my second day off, Ron says he is giving me three.  I'll take it. 

I got up, took my meds, took my shower, did my God Time.  Then we went to Walmart.  I felt really bad about it but I needed some medication. 

Ron opted to stay up front, away from me.  I couldn't blame him.  I sound pretty awful.  I have a horrible dry, hacking, cough, and a runny nose.  Coughing can involve gasping for air and it's not fun. 

I did take all my medication, though.  Happy about that. 

I got some combo medication, but the Sudafed in it makes me manic.  Not knowing that, I got some straight Sudafed... I can always give that to drivers when they complain of sinus troubles.  I got some 12 hour mucus pills with a cough suppressant - I'm pinning a lot of hopes on them.  Last night I had to wake up and take an additional dose of my 4-hour pills. 

Wouldn't that be great if we only got a cold for 4 hours?  Awesome. 

I only have one issue with Ron, who alternates between support and fear of contagion (I tell him he would have already got it by now): the heater.  He likes to run it very warm in here, upper 70's.  I'd love it to be in the 60's.  The hot, dry, air is very irritating but I don't want to freeze him, either.  I sneak the thermostat down if it gets unbearable. 

My aunt swears by Zicam, so I got some of that, too.  Ideally one takes it at the start of the cold, but hopefully it will also work late-stage.  If nothing else I'll have it for next time. 

I already had the 4 hour mucus pills on hand, from a viral sinus infection some time ago.  They cause a miserable hour of drainage and hacking, followed by clear passages and silence.  Hell of a tax.  That's why I hope the 12 hour stuff with the cough suppressant will help more. 

I also got cat food and stuff for Ron, so everyone's happy.  Biscuit eats a lot of canned food.  He's a little terrorist, he gets up on my desk and walks on the keyboard.  Fool that I am, I get up and give him a can, so to him, it's just making an order.  He was lying on the spacebar earlier, purring, some function window open in the background with script.  I checked, he ate everything I gave him earlier (rather, they did, the other cats eat the canned also), so he got another. 

The vet will be thrilled to hear about this.  She wants them on canned food.  It just took a while to find a family favorite. 

Biscuit also threw up on the floor, but it was easy enough to clean.  He just has trouble eating dry food.  I suspect that may be one reason he got dumped nearly a year ago. 

That's right, Rescue Day is coming up.  I plan to give them two cans of cat food, one for each boy, and a cut up cheese stick.  They love cheese sticks. 

Optional

Still sick. 

Last night, the highlight would have had to be me, coughing, with a breath mint in my mouth.  Doc told me once, years ago, any "hard candy" will work as a "cough drop". 

Anyway, I got to coughing, wheezing, and inhaled the mint.  It got stuck in my esophagus, thank God.  Imagine if I'd inhaled it!  It eventually dissolved on it's own.  In the meantime I had to deal with a hard lump in my throat in addition to my other symptoms. 

Ron was very sympathetic.  I thought that was sweet.  I feel he fails me sometimes, and I know he feels the same, but he's been a good guy in this. 

Last night he told me he's scared I'm leaving him.  I told him I'm not (and I'm not), I just want some job protection in case something happens to him.  He said nothing would.  I didn't argue. 

When I got up, I contacted my aunt, who understandably was not interested in lunch with viral vector #1.  My cousin agreed.  This is the second time we had to reschedule due to my problems.  I don't see myself as having that kind of life, but I guess I do, sometimes. 

Ron gave me today and tomorrow off, so I've been taking the cold medicine I can handle (not much), trying to rest as much as possible, coughing, and blowing my nose a lot. 

I worry this thing will get up in my sinuses so I am taking some herbal measures as well.  Ugh. 

I suspect the antibiotics affected my resistance, normally I don't get colds.  When was the last time I got a cold?  I don't know, but half my cold medicine is expired.  We have various viruses going around, but no more than usual, I'd say. 

I had to take the antibiotics for the bladder infection.  THAT was not optional.