We’re sick ’round here. Like not just sick…I’m talking SICK. And whatever it is, it’s horrible. Honestly? As much as I hate puking, I think I’d rather have a 24 hour flu! I think I can honestly say I’ve never experienced anything like this bug before. Ever!
The past three nights, I had to sleep in an armchair because laying down brought on such a pounding headache, it was impossible to fall asleep. Balance is off. I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to walk through our kitchen doorway and somehow, connected with the door post instead. Eye sockets ache, light hurts and fast side glances are incredibly painful. Throat is sore and accompanied by a cough. Ears hurt. We’re weak as a bunch of kittens here and the fever just keeps playing it’s merry little tune on our bodies.
Did I mention I woke up to my husband’s keeping the beat just this morning? By passing out the bathroom? Twice? In early morning?
I’ve never had a fever for so long. Which day am I on? Four? Or is it five? Shucks, maybe it’s day six!
It’s a long one. Those around us who have caught it are still battling it…over a week later. Dang fever just stays…and stays…and stays.
As of now, we are fervently hoping our going-away Christmas plans won’t be messed with! Our home is completely and totally devoid of anything festive…except Christmas music!
We wanna have our Christmas so we’ve been hitting this bug with everything we have!
REST AND SLEEP
I never before realized how hard it is to get a good night’s sleep when you have to sit up. Y’know?! But we’re taking naps, sleeping in as long as we can, shivering and sweating each in our own turn. I’ve never seen such wet bed sheets!
Early bedtimes in this house! And for me? Four hour naps during the day.
This afternoon my man went out and did some odds and ends around the place. He was only on his feet for an hour before he came in exhausted. We’re doing lots of sitting! And know what? It’s not all bad!
HOT BATHS
I think we’ve gone through 500 gallons of hot water. Really! Heat helps boost the immune system and so, we take baths whenever we feel like it.
IMMUNE BOOSTING FOOD
Because sugar drops the immune system, we stay away from it. Instead, we make a point of consuming salad greens, home-made sauerkraut, onions and garlic. Antioxidants? Hello freezer full of berries! Nothing tastes better than frozen blueberries when so sick! For mealtime, it’s bland, easily digested foods: baked potatoes, rice and soup.
IMMUNE BOOSTING LIQUID
Water is essential to health and nobody wants to deal with dehydration on top of a bug! Water goes down by the quart. With all the sweating, our bodies only want more.
We drink home-canned elderberry juice on such occasions. I don’t know how much I’ve chugged the past few days, but it’s good stuff.
We almost always have herbal tea brewed and on hand: think elderberry, rose hip, chamomile, rosemary, lavender, cloves. We are chugging the hot liquid.
Apart from tea, we also straight-up drink hot broth. Sometimes bone broth, sometimes chicken foot, it’s all good and by topping a steaming hot mug with some high-quality turmeric powder, we also try to help reduce inflammation.
IMMUNE BOOSTERS
Homemade tinctures usually help ward things off…if we catch things soon enough! Elderberry and rosehip is a favorite. I think I drank half our supply in the past few days.
Vitamin D is another important element to good health. When we have it, we take it!
When I realized how raw my throat was going to become if I didn’t do something about it, I made a homemade garlic salve I had just seen online. After applying to the feet, chest and neck, it began loosening things up within 2-3 hours. Not a miracle cure once things were in full swing but my throat didn’t get any worse and even improved a wee bit.
LISTENING TO THE BODY
We’re ‘liminating’ stress wherever and however we can. Dirty dishes on the counter? Who cares. My body tells me it needs to sleep, so I’m gonna. The livingroom’s a mess? Who cares! We’re too sick to walk through it anyway. The bed sheets need to be wrung out? Hmmm. Maybe we should do something ’bout that one!
When you’re sick with this kind of sickness, it’s time to push everything else aside and focus. Especially when you’re supposed to be driving 16 hrs north for Christmas!
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