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under the weather
October 24, 2009
Well it was bound to happen sometime or another; I got ill this week.
Diary of an illness:
Thursday:
8:00am I feel a tickle in the back of my throat, I make sure to pack my own water bottle (whatever this is I don't want the kids sharing water with me) for our morning at the potter's studio. The morning is gray and rainy, New England fall, but working with clay for 2 hours with the kids is a fun reprieve, I forget about my throat.
12:15pm We're home and I have exactly 45 minutes to prepare and eat lunch with the kids before the homeschool organizational meeting at my house. This wasn't my original plan, I don't usually schedule so much in one day but sometimes these things can't be helped.
2:15pm The ladies have all left and I am feeling rather exhausted but now I need to take the kids to the library. I had hoped to skip our visit this week but when I said as much yesterday the kids were devastated. I have to go out anyway to take care of the bank deposit for the bulk buying club.
4:30pm We're home and I'm wiped. My body aches, my head feels stuffy and I decide to check out. Feeling very grateful that the kids are old enough to care for themselves I run a hot bath and soak, soak and soak some more (let's just say I re-heated the water several times). I skim this book while soaking and when Damien arrives home (I'm still in the tub) he makes tofu noodle soup for supper; our family's version of chicken noodle, we call it "sick soup".
8:30pm After preparing my monthly buying club order that's due on Friday morning I take a cup of peppermint tea and the book I was reading earlier and go upstairs to bed. Downstairs my family watches Star Wars episode IV. At 9:30 I turn off the light and go to sleep to the sound of lightsabers and starships.
night time: Chills, sweats and lots of tissues. No fever as far as I can tell. Overall I have a decent sleep.
Friday
6:30am I get up and I feel better. Good thing too since I have committed to take a friend to the hospital one hour away for an appointment this morning. Damien is taking a personal day off of work (so thankful for his great benefits) to care of the kids while I am gone. Today I make sure to take my daily dose of vit D with breakfast.
8:00am Driving to the appointment and it's a beautiful fall day. The sunlight through the trees energizes me but I am blowing my nose and sneezing an awful lot.
10:00 I knit while I sit in an outpatient clinic waiting room. I am finally nearing the end of this project that I started way back in March. I am very careful to sneeze into my elbow and wash my hands religiously in the bathroom. Signs are everyone reminding people how not to spread germs.
12:00pm So, so thankful to be home after my morning away. I really don't like hospitals and feel emotionally drained after being around all that suffering (how do healthcare professionals do this??). Not too mention I don't like driving... oh I'm so happy to be home.
1:15pm I am making applesauce when my family arrives home with rosy cheeks and mittened hands after walking home from Daddy's lunchtime tennis game. Damien walks next door to the corner pizza shop to get the kiddos sweet potato fries for lunch. I heat up a couple cans of baked beans to "round out" the meal; neither of these is at all appealing to me but I've already eaten the leftover sick soup from supper last night.
2:00pm Getting quite tired and need a nap but first I play a couple rounds of "Guess Who" with Brienne. Feel bad that the kids aren't getting very much attention from me and I do my best to show them some love before I crash.
4:30pm Finally rouse myself from my 2 hour rest (oh that felt good). At my request Damien and Brienne bring me tea and I settle in on the bed with the kids to read to them. I feel wiped out but I can read and I enjoy this very snuggly time together; praying they don't catch whatever it is I've got.
8:30pm Behind my eyes feels so stuffy that I can barely stay awake while my family and I watch Star Wars IV, this time all together. Yes, they did just watch this the night before but I missed out so we have to watch it all together tonight.
9:30pm I crawl into bed without so much as brushing my teeth and pull the covers literally over my head (this feels better for some reason). So, so thankful that Damien is well and that he will take care of the supper dishes and tuck the kids in. I hear Brienne crying because I didn't come to her bed to kiss her but I'm truly too exhausted to care. Tonight Daddy will just have to do.
Saturday
11:00am I'm writing this diary, feeling much better than I did yesterday afternoon and evening. No more sneezes or stuffy head; I think I'm on the mend. I plan to take it easy again today, resting as necessary and drinking lots of water and tea. Although it's raining today, tomorrow promises to be sunny and hopefully I'll be well enough to be outdoors with my family.
Wishing you all a healthy weekend.
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Denise on Oct. 25, 2009, 2:08 a.m.
I'm a big believer in just plain rest. The minute I don't feel so good - I go to bed. Even if it is very early. I'm with you on the food is my medicine.
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kyndale on Oct. 25, 2009, 2:36 a.m.
Feel better Renee. Thinking of you :)
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Spring on Oct. 25, 2009, 2:41 a.m.
Rich spent the whole week home from work with something similar... only he tends to keep these things for quit awhile... maybe it will convince him to eat more of how the rest of eat! :) With being out super late for our show all week, he rested all day each day. Glad you are feeling on the mend!! (Enjoying my extra couple days with that book!) :)
OH! and today I got some GREAT stuff from a friend for making re-purposed projects... wait till I blog it! :)
Spring's last blog post... Ta-da! And the winner is?
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nicola@which name? on Oct. 25, 2009, 4:40 a.m.
i hope you feel better, renee. my teeth are rotting out right now just from reading you only have one sugar treat a week. oof. do you use other sweetners, such as a agave nectar? nicola http://whichname.blogspot.com
nicola@which name?'s last blog post... corner view: my dream
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renee on Oct. 25, 2009, 12:27 p.m.
We use dried fruits. And occasionally honey, like a teaspoon in tea. We eat pancakes once a week topped with maple syrup. I don't use agave nectar. I think they're all the same anyway; maple syrup, honey, and even sugar - empty calories, no nutrition and feeds bad stuff in your system.
I don't bake we just eat other stuff - homemade chocolate pudding with bananas as sweetener etc... Earlier this season, in anticipation of H1N1 and other sickness we got serious about the sugar. Although we are strict about our consumption of it in our home it pops up everywhere. People offering kids candy and sweets all the time. We decided to make a family rule that we all have to abide by: one sugar treat/week. That means one lollipop, one soda, one cookie, one ice cream - period. Sugar is sugar (whether it's packaged with oats, whole wheat flour or some other "good" ingredient) and it's not good for you. Learning how to limit it in our family has been a challenge, I have a really sweet tooth, but now that I've weaned myself a bit I'm doing better.
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nicola@which name? on Oct. 26, 2009, 12:54 a.m.
in response to reading your reply, i felt disbelief and admiration, but then a realization that we were nearly at that point when we were actually living under a food/exercise plan a long while back. i have been struggling to get back on it (i need the discipline of something structured), but it really is time. that said, since we don't have gluten issues, i know i will not stop baking and using some sugars in that way, nor will i give up sweets on my "day off," but the type of baking and level of consumption certainly changes. good for you! you guys are amazingly healthy and are a "living your beliefs" inspiration! nicola http://whichname.blogspot.com
nicola@which name?'s last blog post... corner view: my dream
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Jody on Oct. 26, 2009, 1:38 p.m.
Good morning Renee! I hope today's sunrise finds you more back to normal. It was a gloriously sunshiney day Sunday....if nothing else, it was good for the spirits.
Although, it was what Pohh Bear would call, "a rather blustery day". We due for some good leaves to jump in :>) Hope this week is a relaxed pace & a healthy one.
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John on Oct. 26, 2009, 7:52 p.m.
Your typo that reads "tofu noodle soap for supper" had me rolling in the floor laughing. I think I was laughing more at myself than anything because it took me a minute to figure out what you actually meant. Anyway, I hope you're feeling better.
~John
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renee on Oct. 26, 2009, 9:02 p.m.
Oops! I hadn't noticed that. I'll go back and change that now. tofu noodle soap certainly does sound interesting.
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Shawna on Oct. 27, 2009, 10:46 p.m.
glad you're feeling a bit better. my best remedy for illness is to sleep it off. (i'm a fan of going completely under the covers, too.) not so possible with a little one now, but she's pretty self sufficient so i set her up in our bed with some toys and i nap away... again, doesn't work quite as well when she's sick too, like this week.
Shawna's last blog post... eighteen and counting
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Jamie on Oct. 24, 2009, 8:39 p.m.
Sorry to hear you're not well. :( I wish you a speedy recovery and am sending get well vibes your way!
Jamie's last blog post... Audrey | Class of 2010 | Senior Portraits
AmandaT on Oct. 24, 2009, 9:12 p.m.
I am sorry to hear you've been sick! I am happy the kids haven't gotten what you have. The kids and I, all to have had the flu this past week, and Harry was just tested for H1N1. Don't know the results of that yet. I am in the processes of making a natural/herb, flu/cold kit. If you could add some suggestions that work good for you, could you please post about them.
Take Care!
renee on Oct. 24, 2009, 9:19 p.m.
The only remedies that our family really uses are preventative - lots of green leafy vegetables & fruits, very minimal processed and animal products, almost no sugar (one treat that includes sugar as an ingredient only once a week), daily vit D supplements, exercise, outdoors and regular rest. I honestly don't have herbal cold and flu remedies because we rarely get those and when we do we just rest and get better quite quickly. There's a lot of herbal books out there that might be helpful, wish I could recommend something, sorry I can't be of more help. Hope everyone in your home heals quickly.