That which does not...

...kill us, makes us sure feel half way there.  : (

Hello again, Readers,

Writing today from my bed on this, day eight of riding one incredibly hellish wave of influenza.

Yyyyyup, I managed to come down with the mofo flu and it has been one very challenging and horrible week+ of manic coughing, nausea, vomiting, fevers, near-faintings, full on whimpers and some unbelievable weakness the likes of which I have never endured.

We're talking granny shuffling of only a meter or two and then comes the major aching in the ole thighs, the gasping for breath and the having to sit/lie down to do the next couple meters.

I won't even touch on the stairs situation and how bad that got at one point. 

ZOINNNNNNNNKS.

I've lost a staggering 4 kilos in these mean eight days and man alive, I am ready for this thing to HIT THE ROAD ALREADY.

Only yesterday did the intense eyeball pain cease but this cough, NELLY and her whole FAMILY--it's still going mega-strong.   At least it has been kind enough to let me sleep through the nights.

And yes, I've been in contact with my doc and even had to have a house call from another one and am on penicillin just to ensure this thing doesn't get more outta control than it already is.

And poor P had the flu too.  Thankfully, his came before mine and is wrapping up now, allowing him to fully man the kitchen.  He has been nourishing me closer to health for some days already, bless his sweet heart.

Next year, I will most definitely be getting me a flu shot as I don't even wanna know what this has all done to my already struggling kidneys and immune system.  Gonna find out soon enough though, when the monthly blood and urine work up happens soon-ish.

So boom, there it is.  And plop, here I am, in all my noodley, shrivelled lack of glory.

All that said though, I'm rather impressed that this hasn't landed my butt back in the hospital.  I couldn't imagine having to go through all this alone and in that dreaded place and yay body, for carrying me through this without completely shutting down.

Now, as I hear P down in the kitchen again preparing some luncheon delights, I shall gather my gumption to bum my way down the stairs again, (which are ohhhh so stylish without any hand rails), to enjoy it with him proper and upright and at the table. 

It's wonderful to be enjoying food again!

Be well out there, ya'll and for cryin' out loud, if you're older, fragile or suffering from any chronic illness like me, please DO get your flu shots as I wouldn't wish this hell on anybody.

+++vibes and continued periodic waaahhh's, 

; J

By George, I Think I Ate It!

Yesssss, a beautiful, inviting and seemingly harmless bowl of home made roasted cabbage/garlic soup I whipped up last week, might have been the cause of some extreeeeeme stomach pain a day or two later.

For those wanting to try it, just roast up slices of olive-oiled cabbage, add some raw garlic, pepper, (+ your spices of choice), and blender it all up with a little water.

It really was good--that first innocent little bowl, before I added what I thought was paprika.

"Cayenne", I bet some of you are thinking and that would have been so much easier but naaaaay, this stuff is much higher on the ole Scoville chart than that.

It was the mighty and respected the world over, "Piri Piri" pepper powder, at an impressive 175,000 Scoville Heat Units.

To compare, cayenne is at around 60,000.

<<-You can see here by the generously sized holes, how fast the Piri powder flowed from the container and I must have shaken damned near a tablespoon into that two-bowl sized pot of unsuspecting soup.

I was indeed wet with perspiration after eating that and I really don't know how the hell I managed it.

Granted, it was early evening when my faculties are less than stellar, (as illustrated by the grabbing of the wrong orange powder on the ole spice rack), and I was as usual, hungry like the wolf.  And the lights were low.  And...  ; )

I have already moved the Piri Piri to the lower, way less visible part of the spice rack.  ;)


So that's it; my little theory of how I ended up with some kinda gallbladder/stomach nightmare for 5 days straight.

I'll of course know more on the 10th after the stomach ultrasound is done but had to post this possible cause now.

Eat safe, everyone!

; J

UPDATE:  After a week of torturous upper belly pains, I saw my doc and had an ultrasound done to rule out any gallbladder issues/stones, only to find the organ normal and that most likely, most certainly, the cause of all that extra pain, ('cause I don't get enough), was indeed------ME.

Whoa.

Living and learning the hard way.

; J