sick

Sick

| cheriarmour

This weekend was not as wild and crazy l as I would hope for it to have been, considering I’m still young and fun. 

And I realize that there are some things too sacred for the blog, such as horrid pictures of me laid up with pimple cream betwixt my eyebrows where my body is rejecting winter/being an adult. 

Thursday, I had a little familiar tickle in my throat, matched with some gnarly fatigue. Friday, it was a little worse, and by Friday night, there was no denying that I had a full-blown cold.

Congested on one side. Sore throat. Couldn’t really taste a whole bunch. And the distinct feeling that though things could be worse, that I really wasn’t interested in finding out what that was like. 

After coming home from a birthday celebration, we headed straight home where we laid on the couch and watched a little Netflix. 

Saturday morning, I was positive I was going to die when I woke up. Crusty face, I was slow-moving, and of course, I had a class to teach. It was one of the few days in my life, including the day I passed out in front of a full Zumba class, that I considered the possibility of not being able to show up for this class. I swallowed a mouthful of Trop 50, and made it through just fine. 

Saturday afternoon was a blur of me drifting into and out of of a disturbed sleep, while Bravo chirped in the background. I told Austin to enjoy a playoff game since I was so sick, and I watched Sex & The City, the first movie, for the millionth time.  I ventured out only for some egg drop soup and some cleaning supplies from Target.  Plot change: I skipped the cleaning and opted for a shower with a few drops of eucalyptus oil and some essential oil shampoo. I twisted (my locs) as well since I was gonna be stuck in bed for the night again. 

Sunday, I, once again, woke up so sick, that when Austin took me to brunch, I couldn’t finish my food. I COULDN’T FINISH MY FOOD. 
I haven’t been sick like this in a while, so here are a few of my tips for you active chciks when the germs for you down. 

  • Water water water. Warm, cold, indifferent. Drink up. I had a hard time with this one because my stuffy nose made me feel like I was drowning, but I did my best. Alcohol is not your friend in this case.
  • Essential oils. For congestion and headache, a few drops of eucalyptus in the shower or in a pot of boiling water that you breathe in is so awesome at temporarily unclogging your nose. 
  • Your humidifier.  I don’t have a super nice humidifier, but the $30 Austin bought me when I got sick a few years ago does it fine. It has a spot where you can put a few more drops of essential oils. It’ll sort of clear your nose and keep you from getting that horrible dry feeling in your nose and throat. 

And finally….especially for you active folks. 

  • Rest. I didn’t work out at all this weekend. It wasn’t intentional, but I was sleeping a bunch, and I felt so crappy that I had flashbacks of when Kourney fainted on the beach when she was overdoing it after Mason came. It happened.

I’m feeling better tonight, and I think I should be back to life by the time work and meetings hits full force on Tuesday. 

What are some of your sick day tips? 

Sick Day

| cheriarmour

I took my first sick day from my job with the Y in almost a year yesterday.

I came home yesterday from work early with an extremely sore throat, but still made it out to a cycling class before I realized I was actually sick and also a huge asshole for going to class where I could have gotten someone else sick.

I’m actually really sorry about that, I like to think of myself as a somewhat responsible adult, and I didn’t realize how sick I was.  But after I was done, the right side of my throat was killing, and when I took a peek back there, it just wasn’t good.

I was prescribed some amoxicillin, and started it immediately yesterday, and then I decided to make a batch of super super spicy soup, which I’ll share on here really quick.

Sick Day Black Bean Soup

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You’ll need:

  • 3 cans of black beans (we like the low sodium kind)
  • 1 Tablespoon of cayenne pepper (chill out on this if you can’t)
  • Southwestern seasoning (a little flick should do)
  • A thing of vegetable broth (low sodium kind)
  • 2 tablespoons of corn starch mixed into 2 tablespoons of cold water (this part is important!)
  • 1/2 cup of quinoa

Dump the beans into a large pot.  Dump cayenne and spices on top, and add the vegetable broth.  Stir, and bring the soup to a boil.  Add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup.  Stir, and add quinoa.  Lower heat and allow the soup mixture to summer for 20 minutes, or until the quinoa has softened and gets sprouty-looking.  Enjoy on it’s own, or with some chips, avocado, or a dollop of sour cream if the soup is too spicy.

* * * *

So for my sick day, I woke up, and immediately realized all that my fabulous plans for the day, which included a meeting with my supervisor and closing the building, just weren’t going to happen, no matter how badly I wanted them to.  I texted my boss (my throat was too sore to call), and let him know what was going on.  I texted some others to help me get coverage for the building, and made myself a cup of Thera-Flu tea before I took a nap on the couch for a few minutes.  As the day wore on, and I started getting more bored, I started to get really irritated because middle of the day television sucks, and my throat was killing me, and it was looking like I was going to be too sick to even walk, let alone run or cycle.  I chugged seltzer, laid around, and finally, Austin came home a little early, and it was nice to talk to a real person.

So I’m finally starting to feel better now, a full 24 hours from when I started the antibiotics, and I think I’ll be working tomorrow as well.  I’m glad I got the rest, but was horribly grumpy and bored all day.

QOTD

What do you usually do on a sick day?

Strep

| cheriarmour

First and foremost.

As per the obsession I described lately with sandwiches, I had another sandwich for dinner the other night –

IMG_0123[1]This time, I went full-on vegetarian (I don’t think turkey is a permanent jump into carnivorism for me), and did some hummus, sprouts, and various crunchy things.  This love affair with the idea of a sandwich isn’t just going to stop with the turkey sandwich.  I also made a tofurkery wrap for lunch today.  I’m starting to feel like sandwich girl’s almost-husband.  For whatever reason (and I’m not pregnant folks), the thought of a good, cold sandwich (or a hot one) is making me drool.  Absolutely drool.

But I’m not eating any sandwiches today because….drumroll please…

I have strep. 

I’m sort of being a miserable baby about it because I’m not kidding you, I never, never get sick.  I think it’s a combo of all the running (which strengthens your immunity), and being at a germy gym all the time keeps me pretty well.  But I really didn’t feel well when my sister was over this weekend, and even told you guys I was surprised at how badly I was hungover because I didn’t drink that much, but felt heinous all Sunday.  (Don’t worry, I’m still doing a sober June, that’s no excuse.)

So, I woke up with a sore throat on one side yesterday, and rolled over to Austin and groaned.

“What babe?”

I pointed at my throat.

“You’re choking?”  I shook my head and pointed at my throat again and gave him a thumbs-down.

“Your throat hurts?  A lot?”

He got it.  The one side of my throat was feeling awful.  At first I assumed it was allergies.  And then I decided to take a look back at my throat, and it just wasn’t good.  I scooted out of work, was able to cobble a way to see someone quickly, and get some antibiotics to quickly treat this.  It hurts.  I feel awful.  And I’m trying really hard not to feel sorry for myself.  But there’s definitely a chance that I will be working from my bed tomorrow, rather than from my desk where I can get everyone good and sick.  I’m hoping to at least, at least walk tomorrow.

When was the last time you were sick?  

 

Working out when you’re sick. Do you do it?

| cheriarmour

PS, my Mom called to threaten me again this morning.  I hope Protective Services is watching out for me.

Thursday night, my throat seemed…dry.  I ran anyways.   “Aw dammit,” I thought, and I put on some distilled water for my neti pot when I got home.

The throat situation grew a little more perilous by Friday.  “Aw dammit.”  I netied three times.

By Sunday, I had to make an executive decision.  Run, and risk that awful cloggy feeling in my already-sore throat?  Or rent two Redboxes, and park it on the couch with a bottle of Essie’s “Trophy Wife”?

I chose the Redbox scenario.  And I think I’m glad I did.  I know I’m glad I did.  There are some sicks when it’s okay to work out.  And you’ll know when that is.  But there are some sicks when your body just needs a break.

Instances When You Don’t Run/Work Out

  • Are you vomiting?
  • Do you have a fever?
  • Tummy upsets?
  • Strep-type situation?
  • Are you going to worsen an already-bad situation?
  • Is your nose going to run all over your shirt?

Instances When You Do. 

  • Are you being annoying and lazy?
  • Do you have cramps ladies? (I swear, working out helps).
  • Are you a little bit pregnant?
  • Are you on the mend from one of the aforementioned instances when you don’t work out?

The moral of the story is, listen to your body.  If you’re sick, and your body is begging for some sleep, go to sleep.  Neti.  Take a hot shower.  And revisit the issue again the next day.  If you’re kinda not sick and you just don’t feel like it, maybe you need a break anyways.  If you’re just being lazy (and I do it too,) make yourself do something short, sweet, but something that still gets your heart pumping a little.  You might find yourself still plugging away, an hour later, and you may feel better about life in general after a nice sweat sesh.