Sick.

I've been sick for days.  The wednesday night before my holiday party I felt off.  I wasn't sure what the problem was, but I just didn't feel good.  I went home and felt accomplished to have gotten my nails painted, as I felt so bad that even that was in question at one point.

Thursday I woke up feeling crappy.  I desperately tried to rally as the day wore on.  I went to my hair appt. even though my throat was hurting really badly and I had very little voice.  My guess was that it was a sinus infection coming on, and that the sore throat was a yucky side effect.  I went to the holiday party with barely any voice, feeling pretty lousy.  It was loud and I had no appetite.  I had no voice and spent my evening trying to be heard over the music and the people. I took pictures with friends and with BF, and I looked great.  But I felt awful, and by 9pm I couldn't handle it anymore.  I was exhausted, sick, and we had to leave.

Friday morning I woke up feeling like death.  I called in sick and we went to the CVS Minute Clinic. The Dr. tested me for the flu on a whim and bam....there it was.  Influenza A.

The next few days were an awful, awful blur.  My throat was killing me, I was coughing like crazy, I had a 101 fever with accompanying chills/sweats.  BF stayed until late Friday afternoon when he had to go pick up his daughter.  I had to miss our plans that night to go see "A Christmas Carol" in Old Town Alexandria.  They went without me, and then headed home because J, his daughter, hadn't had the flu shot.

BF came back over Monday after work, and I was still miserable.  I didn't get back to work until Wednesday, and I felt pretty awful.  Tamiflu was gone by Tuesday, fever gone so I could return to work, but I was barely functioning.  Thursday and Friday weren't a ton better.  I missed my second holiday party at my old firm on Friday.

Saturday I finally felt like maybe I was improving a bit.  Still no voice, but the coughing, in particular overnight, was calming a bit and the sore throat was improving.  Same thing on Sunday.  However, at one point on sunday I coughed really hard and suddenly my ribs were hurting on the left side.  They are still hurting today---I managed to actually hurt myself coughing.

Today I woke up with a sore throat, and my cough has felt like more of a problem again.  I'm tired and frustrated and so OVER being sick.

I don't know if this is normal, residual flu crap, or a secondary infection or what.  I predict I'm going to end up back at the CVS Minute Clinic tonight just to find out for sure.  I'm supposed to fly to Omaha Wednesday, and I do NOT want to fly feeling like this.  I'm supposed to celebrate Christmas with BF tomorrow night, and I do NOT want to feel like this.  In general?  I do NOT want to feel like this anymore!!!  I truly have not had a voice to speak of in 10+ days!

Glad I took my feeling better energy last night to go wrap up my Christmas shopping, as I am NOT feeling it tonight.  Tonight is probably Minute Clinic, wrapping presents and packing, and hopefully early to bed.  I cannot handle this anymore!!

I don't want to even think about everything this flu has ruined....the holiday party I was so excited about.  A Christmas Carol.  The second holiday party.  Holiday dinner with two girlfriends.  Ugly sweater party on Saturday where I finally met some of BF's friends, but I had no voice to use, so I was about half as much of myself as I wanted to be.  I'm tired of this thing ruining everything I'd been looking so forward to.  I want my remaining Christmas to be left in tact!!