My sick yesterday - potentially TMI

[fredericks]

I worked through some sort of stomach virus yesterday. Horrible. Horriblehorriblehorrible. It might have simply been "horrible" if I was at home while my guts were trying to make their way out of my body. Instead I was babysitting my cousin in Brooklyn. Yeah.

I knew things weren't okay upon waking up. I'd had the weirdest dream and when I opened my eyes my clothes were soaked in sweat. Then there was the rolling in my stomach. My first thought was "I shouldn't have had the potato salad" - we ate dinner at my grandmother's house the day before and she had some potato salad that had been sitting on the dining room table for Lord knows how long. Still, although my stomach was uneasy it felt more like gas than anything else so I figured it would pass one way or another before I got out to Brooklyn. Of course, my brain must have known what was really up because before leaving the house I took a plastic bag with me "just in case".

Things did not improve by the time I got to the subway. Sitting in the idling F train I seriously contemplated throwing in the towel and going back home. BUT (but) I knew my aunt was counting on me. And I kept hoping that the party in my stomach would stop.

I got to the transfer point and stood on the platform waiting for the G. By that time I was damned happy I brought the plastic bag along. I "used it", feeling utterly wretched. Okay, and here's the part that slays me (in retrospect, of course - at the time I was feeling way too green to fully comprehend it): I'm standing on a semi-crowded train platform upchucking into a plastic bag and NO ONE reacts. No one moved away and (rather typical for NYers) no one inquired as to my physical state. It was like I'd turned invisible. I cleaned myself up as best as I could and disposed of the bag and its contents in the trash (after momentarily contemplating holding on to it since I didn't have a second bag at my disposal...then sanity hit). The main thing I wanted to avoid was being "that person", the ill train rider who causes train delays and gets people swearing and wondering why the hell sick people can't just stay home (!). So I'm proud of the fact that I didn't pass out on the local.

Anyway, things didn't improve after that. I was sick on the bus to my aunts house and, sans plastic bag...you know, the bus floor suffered. That wasn't too fun. Luckily the bus driver didn't see me. Or if he did (since I was the only passenger on the bus) he, like every other NYer, simply ignored me.

What followed was 8 hours of utter agony. My aunt and her husband live in a three story brownstone and so I had to lug my cousin up and down from the bedroom (on the third floor) if I needed to get something from the kitchen (on first floor). At one point I honestly didn't think I would make it; I thought I'd try to get the kid down the stairs and pass out and then yay! evening news! When I'd have to go the restroom (with more and more frequency as the day went on) I'd have to plop him in the playpen and then happy happy fun time. I was so fatigued I'd fall asleep in the loo in a semi-dressed state and wake up embarrassed, thinking my aunt had come back to find me me sprawled on the carpet in front of the toilet. I called to ask my mom to pick me up when I was supposed to be finished because I wasn't well enough to deal with the subway ride. I did get a swig of Pepto upon leaving my aunts, and either the Pepto worked its magic or I had a 24 hour virus because I woke up this morning light-headed but with my guts staying in their place. I'm still a little queasy, but I chalk that up to slight dehydration more than anything else.

Yes. Happy fun fun indeed.

Comments

[writer-lilies.livejournal.com]

Eee. I'm glad you feel better. Man if you were here, half the people would've been all over you and half would've run away. We don't have a subway though.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I could have so used the half that would have been all over me. Even though it's muy embarrassing to throw up in public it would have helped the teeniest bit if someone had even cared enough to eye me to make sure I wasn't going to, you know, collapse or something.

[brooklynknight.livejournal.com]

lcuky bitch....

whatever bug I have has been persisting for nearly 2 weeks now.

When it started i was coughing uncontrollably and couldnt breath, the coughing was so bad it made me throw up if I had just eaten and I had fever too. The fever dissapeared in 2 days but the rest stayed.

The coughing got so bad my abs started to hurt and ebb with soreness. I felt every cough in those damn muscles.

As of now I've pretty much lost my voice, my breathing via nose is almost normal, still a but stuffy, and I'm still coughing. I got 2 weeks worth of phlem in my throat prolly.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

You know, do you have insurance? Because you should prolly be heading to a practitioner about that. Not to frighten you or nothin'. Jus' sayin.

[brooklynknight.livejournal.com]

I try not to visit the doctor for every little thing. I usually shurug these things off in days with some nyquil. If i'm not better by the middle of next week I'll go.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I try not to visit the doctor for every little thing.
For you to call me a "lucky bitch" and then tell me your symptoms I'd think that means you consider what you're dealing with more than "a little thing". If you suffer from a sore throat for more than a week- if you do ANYTHING for more than a week that you're body's not supposed to - best bet is always to get it checked out if you have the means. Better that than you wait around and it turns into pneumonia or becomes TB (TB is rampant in the city, and not a lot of people know it).

[living-kindness.livejournal.com]

Wow. That does not sound pleasant. It's so shocking to me how no one reacted. If that happened here, people would be freaking out, calling 911. LOL

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

There's always the bitching about sick people messing up the subway traffic around here. That's NYers for you.

[lostcrackerjack.livejournal.com]

Yikes. That sounds pretty bad, I probably wouldn't have gone to babysit (because I'm a wuss). It's good to know that you are feeling better.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I'm no martyr, believe me - I thought it would pass and by the time I realized it wouldn't I was halfway to their house and felt it useless to turn back. And thanks for the kind words.

[darker-one.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I hate being sick in public. If it happens though, I always hope that I am not noticed! Somehow it makes me feel worse if anyone tries to help.

Glad you're feeling better today though! It sucks to be ill over the holidays.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

It was the first time I was sick in public! I never want to repeat it again.

*grin* And although I was trying to be inconspicuous it would have been slightly comforting if someone had looked over to make sure I wasn't keeling over.

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

i'm sorry to hear that. hope you feel better.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[1x2foralways.livejournal.com]

Wow. Sounds like a day from Hell to me. *hugs* I'm glad you're feeling better.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I find your Ron icon to be quite apt. *grin*

Thanks for the kind words!

You know what I just thought about - thank goodness it didn't happen during the transit strike. Eek.

[zelle999.livejournal.com]

Wow. That really sucks. I couldn't imagine vomiting in public.

I think the only thing worse (for ME) than everyone coming and making a big scene trying to help me, would be NO one making a big scene. :(

But I'm glad you're feeling better, though you're a saint for actually staying the whole time!

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Heh. I pretty much had no choice, as there was no way I was going to take the subway back home and I didn't call my mom to pick me up until noon. My aunt had said they'd be back at 2 but they didn't show back up until 4. I fed my cousin from 12:30 - 1 and then he spent the rest of the time in his playpen in front of the television while I spent it in the bed and in the bathroom. Fun. I think the enduring image I'll take from the experience is waking up from a restless bit of unconscious respite to see my cousin dancing around in his playpen to the ending theme music from The Cosby Show. *grin*

Thanks for the kind words, btw.

[taii.livejournal.com]

ugh, not pleasant.
It's horrid being ill when you know you can't get away with suffering in peace.

How you feeling now?

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling tons better, thanks for asking. I've had this throbbing headache during the day that I think might have been due to slight dehydration and now I have this weird sore neck thing going on, but I'm hoping it's related to an awkward sleeping position I had last night.

[xioley.livejournal.com]

Ooh, not fun. Once, I suddenly needed to throw up when I was at the subway (or underground 'el') in Chicago, and I leaned over and threw up on the tracks. It was one of those 100 degree days, and I had just had about 60 ounces of juice and water in the last hour. Attendants asked me how I was and acted kinda pissed at me for throwing up on the tracks.

Hey, when you were at Brown, did you know of a Fishery or Fish Hatchery bar in Providence?

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Aww. Sympathy for your upchuck story. Throwing up on the tracks would only be irksome if your projectile vomitus was pitched far enough to reach the 3rd rail. Then, you know, train drama! would ensue.

The name is vaguely familiar, particularly as a place I heard numerous times on radio advertisements, but I think the name you have is a little off. Why do you ask?