This post is not intended to cultivate sympathy or anything of the like, but the truth is, I've been sick for several days straight and am running of creative ways to engage my mind while I am incapacitated. I've caught this super strain of a cold/flu (this is my own diagnosis) that has gone through basically all the symptoms possible. During the many hours of my life I have spent in medicenters, I often found myself turning towards those "Flu and Cold Season Self-Diagnosis" charts as reading material to occupy the long wait. If I happened to have any of the symptoms at the time, I would take comfort knowing that there were still some undesirable symptoms I thankfully wasn't having to deal with at that time. This week has not been the case because I've blown through that whole chart and every day it's a new discovery as to what's going to get better, and what new troubles are creeping up.
Because it's day three of the stomach flu portion of this super-strain, I've been learning the boundaries between making my stomach feel better, and unexpectantly causing it to violently revolt. Through this learning process, I have discovered that the stomach flu must be dealt with in a very similar manner as one uses while dealing with a 2 year old.
It wakes you up early and insists that it's time for breakfast, perhaps well before you would have preferred to wake up. You prepare a breakfast that has always been enjoyed and compatible with your stomach but as soon as you try to eat, it seems that your stomach starts screaming at you as if it's the most ridiculous idea that you're trying to feed it. You're confused because there were clear signs it was hungry and the time of day means it's probably in need of some nourishment. Despite this logic, it is clearly unwilling to eat. However, 20 minutes later it's demanding the need for a snack, maybe even a little treat. It doesn't make sense because very recently this was not the case and you wonder what changed so much in those short 20 minutes. Instead of going for something practical or nutritional, you maybe give it something you know for sure it loves just to keep down the number of revolts you have to deal with within an hour. Snap peas are healthy enough and seem like a good choice right?
Wrong.
1 hour later there is yet another revolt, almost as it it's kicking and punching, screaming "Why did you feed me those snap peas?!" And there go the snap peas.
This leaves you feeling very confused because you know it's hungry and yet it's unwilling to take the food you thoughtfully offer. Maybe if you just give it some down time things will come around and you'll get somewhere. Hours may go by and you are hesitant to give into its every whim because you are quite aware of the fact that it just doesn't know itself and its own needs right now.
Things settle down and you think you're on the right track so you go in for another attempt. We'll take it easy this time and stick with something really familiar. Apple sauce. Yeah, that should be just fine! And it works. You're elated by the success and the progress you have made. You play it safe for the next little while, maybe just trying out some soda crackers and a bit of yogurt. This is good!
But then your success carries you away and you try something a bit more ambitious. It's been days since you've had a little indulgence so why not take a handful of those chips that have been sitting on the counter? At first there is cooperation and you think you've finally figured out the dynamics but then, BOOM! Your stomach returns to that disagreeable and strong willed state, seemingly deflating all of the work and patience you built into the last 6 hours!
For the record, I love 2 year olds. I just happen to think that they can be unpredictable and defiant, which can leave you feeling confused and exasperated but with the knowledge that they really don't know what they want, let alone what they need! And right now, I feel like I'm dealing with a stomach that has the patience and attitude of a 2 year old but, with time, I'm sure we'll both make it through this stage.
If you read this and think I'm completely out of my mind, just consider that you might be too if you had been in bed sick for far too many days in a row! Also, Josh has been out in Kingston this week for a training exercise so I've been lacking company and, evidently, becoming a little stir crazy!
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