12 December, 2006
Things I didn't know about food poisoning
Getting over this weekend's bout with food poisoning is tough slogging. I assumed that, once the seriously violent episode was over, I'd feel like shit for a few hours, or maybe a whole day, and that would be it. It was that thought, while hunched over the toilet for hours and hours, that kept me from just dropping my head in the toilet and doing myself in.
I was mistaken in my assumption.
Evidently, besides the offending supper, I flushed my entire life force into the septic system last weekend. On Sunday, I couldn't stand or sit for more than a few minutes without getting shaky. It took me nearly half an hour to get the cats fed because I had to stop and sit down constantly. The seriousness of the situation hit home when I realized that I didn't even have the strength to hold onto a book to read. Other than the times when I had to get out of bed, I could not move from it all day. If I made it to the living room, I had to stop and rest in the computer chair, unless I could make it to the couch.
Monday saw a tiny bit of improvement. I was finally able to get the cats fed in a timely manner and was eventually able to remain upright long enough to take a shower. But then I did something rather foolish (this is a pattern with me, as you'll see): Rather than take my friend Gary up on his heroic offer to go to the store for me, I went to the local market myself. I figured it was small enough that I'd find what I needed without having to wander through the 20,000 sq. ft. or so of Safeway or Albertsons. Also, I was desperate to get out into some fresh air. That trip pretty well did me in for the day, though I was able to sit up for a good portion of the afternoon.
I read Jane Austen's Persuasion. I was so happy that I could at least hold up a book that I didn't want to put it down. I read Volume One and half of Volume Two last night and then finished the book this morning.
I spoke to my boss at work yesterday and, having suffered food poisoning herself, she thought I should plan to be out today (Tuesday) as well. I hung up planning for that, but hoping that, if I could just eat some Jello for supper, that it (and the odd blue Gatorade I had been drinking) would push me along the road to recovery enough that I might just be able to make it into the office.
Because I had not been able to enjoy my morning mug of English Breakfast Tea, I had developed a bastard of a caffeine-withdrawal headache, which, by last evening, was wandering into migraine territory and making me nauseated all over again. My joints felt sore, especially my shoulders, causing me to only be able to sleep in fits and starts. The lack of quality sleep pretty well put the brakes on commuting to work this morning. Probably just as well, considering how rainy the morning commute was, I probably wouldn't have wanted to be on the ferry or the bus.
With a break in the storm later this morning I foolishly pushed myself (again) and went to Safeway to get a couple of things I couldn't find at the corner market yesterday. (Note to self: When your friend offers to do something nice for you like go to the store, learn to say, 'Yes thank you!' instead of trying to be so damned independent!) The nice woman at the checkout stand alerted me to some free samples of some sort of beef product they had somewhere in the store. I smiled and said thanks, but I'm getting over food poisoning just now. She apologized and figured she should have guessed, given the contents of my basket (pedialyte, more Jello and some bread for dry toast--though that may be a bit optimistic on my part).
By the time I got back home, I had difficulty getting my key in the lock because I was wobbling in the doorway. Once inside, I collapsed on the couch for half an hour. I got back up and wobbled around in the shower (I was so desperate to wash my hair and shocked at how much energy it took just to accomplish that) and am now on the couch for the duration. I'm determined to get back enough energy to make it to the office tomorrow, but my legs and arms feel so damned rubbery right now I'm starting to feel discouraged.
Through it all, I have had the two best furry nursemaids I could have hoped for in Billie and Simon. I have been snuggled and, a couple of times, groomed and Simon has been as patient as he could be about getting his meals a little late. Best of all, they've hardly fought at all in the last several days, other than a couple of territorial spats over who got to take a nap on Mom's legs.
So, besides regaling all y'all with my tale of woe, and just general whining, I write this as a record of what it is like to suffer full-blown food poisoning so that, when I hear of someone else suffering it, I will remember how awful it was and will be a better sympathetic and supportive friend.
I might indeed wish such a violent affliction on my worst enemy, but s/he would have to really piss me off, first.
Labels: food poisoning, furkids, sick
~~ victoria on 11:53 AM ~~ 0 comments
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