Sunday, Day 1: Awoke with massive back pain--thought I had pulled several muscles. Used the heating pad all day. Started to get cold symptoms by the evening (thought I caught Phil's cold).
Monday, Day 2: Felt miserable. Very achy (back, head) and coughing. Went to school to hold the fort until the principal could find me a sub. Went home around 9 a.m. and went to bed. Slept on and off all day. Phil picked up Quin and got provisions at the store. Started to run a low grade fever. Body aches increased, as did the feeling of chest compression. Diareah began in the early evening.
Tuesday, Day 3: Fever around 102 all day. Diarrhea all day. Chest congestion/tightness continue, along with intense body and head aches. Difficulty sleeping. Did not get up all day. Phil got Quin up, took her to school, picked her up, made dinner, read to her and tucked her in--no mom time from me at all.
Wednesday, Day 4: Went to the doctor for pain medicine and cough medicine. Had a chest x-ray to make sure lungs are okay, since a little short of breath. Pain medicine helped a lot. Can finally get around the house and sit up with the family after dinner.
Thursday, Day 5: Still feeling achy, coughing continues, but diarrhea finally done. Phil sleeps most of the day. I watch Quin and nap when she naps. Thank you pain medication, without which I would not be functioning. We had dinner around 6:00. Phil prepared the food and it was pretty good. Still having problems sleeping at night.
Friday, Day 6: Phil has to work at night, so I am on my own with Quin, she gets up at 6:15 this morning (why?!?). She spends an hour watching Blues Clues (a rare treat) while I rest on the sofa. The aching is a little less, so I cut the pain meds in half. I have a scare in the morning as I find myself not getting enough air. I wake Phil up and he brings his stethoscope and listens to me breathe and says my lungs are okay, which is good. He thinks I am dehydrated, so I drink more liquids, which is basically all I have been doing for the past week. I have tea and it helps. Today the nasal drainage begins and coughing, though not constant, grows in intensity. Luckily Quin (and thus I) has a 3 hour nap in the afternoon, which really helped me survive the day.
Saturday, Day 7: Doing okay today. Coughing and running nose continue as do mild body aches and occasional headaches. Quin woke up early (4:30) and proceeded to cry on and off for 30 minutes because she wanted it to be time to get up. Finally she cried herself back to sleep and slept until Phil came home around 7:45, which was nice. We have had a pretty good day so far.
The doctor thinks it will be about another week until I feel like I have energy and don't get short of breath. I don't know if I will be up to school on Monday--we'll see how tomorrow is. I think a solid day of rest (with Quin at school) might be a good plan so that I can survive the rest of the week at school. Teaching takes a lot of energy (at least my kind of teaching does).
A word of advice from someone who has been there: GET VACCINATED!
Pixel on the day I got her (below)
Pixel & me today!
In 2010 I look forward to visiting our families in the Lower 48, watching Quin continue to grow as this little amazing person she is, and getting married to Phil, my soul mate and love of my life.
Quin was Mary in her first ever school play. She had one line (as did all the other kids). It wasn't much of a production as some of the kids wandered off or ran to their parents, but Quin did her part and was very cute in her costume.
I had a peace symbol drawn on my face, but you can't see it in this picture.
when she is engaged in an activity a
nd it was hard for me to g
et her to even look up at me and the camera.
Today is St. Nicholas Day!
Yesterday we bought a Christmas tree and today Quin and I are decorating it. It is way too big, but Phil wanted a big tree for Quin's first Christmas. It is so much fun sharing this time of year with her.
It has finally warmed up a little--meaning we are back into double digits, albeit only the teens. The wind has been very gusty and it has felt bitter cold for the last few days. We are having lovely clear nights full of stars, though.
Quin and I (mama) went to the Sea Life Center on Sunday--it was practically empty, which was fun (compared to the summer when it can be packed). I love it that we have this world class facility (one of only a few cold water aquariums/research institutions in the country) right here in our little town. It was so cold that you could see steam rising in the bay. As a matter of fact the Sea Life Center is piloting a new energy program to use the thermal gain from the bay as a energy source.
Quin out and she fell asleep on the short car ride home.
