Scattered Thoughts . . .

Today is Saturday at the end of a week that has kept both of us struggling with the flu.  The flu still holds a tight grip on both of us and we're still feeling quite lousy.   Sheila's worst day was yesterday, particularly last night.  She had uncontrollable coughing fits for a few hours last night.  We threw a bunch of extra medications at this problem and that seemed to settle her down after another hour or so.  Today, all her muscles from her abs to her upper back are sore from the coughing fits.  She's still struggling with sinus pain, a headache and runny nose.   I'm still struggling with a relentless headache, some sinus pain, coughing and diarrhea.  The worst symptoms are the headache and especially the diarrhea.  Sheila never got the gastrointestinal problems like I did but I could have been dealing with this due to my systemic mastocytosis.  Unfortunately, this is one of my usual symptoms so I deal with this very often...

I've been sick with the flu all week and Sheila is one day behind me in her symptoms.  It has been a brutal week and I'm still feeling miserable. I can't sleep because the cold medications don't stop the itching, burning, runny nose.  The persistent cough is brutal too.  My eyes are watery and burning.  I have waves of violent shivering, fever and nausea.  I haven't eaten much this week and yet I've spent a lot of time in the bathroom sick as a dog.  Every part of my body is in pain but especially my sinuses.  Sneezing and coughing hurts in the center of my chest.  The itching, burning and runny nose is relentless and brutal though.  Worse yet, the cold medications can't seem to knock any of this down enough to get some much-needed rest and sleep. I'm exhausted...  I'm weak...  I'm in significant pain...  this week has been bordering on unbearable.  

W e finally had our family Christmas celebration at our house over this past weekend.  We had to reschedule it because Sheila and I had COVID from before Christmas and well into January.  Unfortunately, almost every one of us who attended this last Christmas party at our house is now sick with a terrible case of the flu.  My guess is that every single one of us will be sick within another couple of days.   I feel miserable.  I felt rather lousy yesterday too but, by last night, I was feeling pretty miserable.  Now I'd say I'm feeling overwhelmingly miserable.  Sheila is about a half day or a full day behind me.   I'm not sure which is worse...  the flu or COVID...  COVID lasts forever and it's still quite painful but this flu is brutal at this point.  Everything hurts.  I have chest congestion.  I have a massive headache.  I have a painful sore throat.  My sinuses are burning.  I'm dizzy, nauseate...