Philip and I have both been laid low by the flu. He’s on day 7, and I’m on day 3. We’re relatively healthy and still this illness has kicked our tails. Yesterday, I watched or dozed through a total of 11 episodes of Law and Order:SVU. While I love a good Mariska Hargitay haircut, this kind of binge-watching is not typical for me.
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As I’ve been prone for most of the past 36 hours, I’ve had lots of time to think. (I don’t really find it pleasant to read when I’m sick.) I kept remembering the episodes of shows like Little House on the Prairie or Doctor Quinn:Medicine Woman, where people were killed or nearly so by illnesses like the flu. Those individuals were swathed in blankets and tended with cool clothes. When (if) they recovered, they returned to life a little swimmy-eyed and lost. I’m grateful to live now, when the flu probably won’t kill me.
So here are a few things that the flu has made me thankful for.
1. Medicine. Those little gelcaps that take away the worst of fever and help me sleep . . . I love those little things.
2. A Caring Partner. Even though Philip is still pretty sick himself, he took on feedings and animal tending so I could get some much-needed rest.
3. Healthy Animals. On a farm, the animals need to be fed and cared for even when the humans aren’t well. So I’m grateful that all our critters are thriving so that we didn’t need to take any special care for the past few days.
4. Television. I like TV most of the time, but when I’m sick, it really is like a balm. It lets me slip away into story so that I’m not so preoccupied with my discomfort. Plus, I remember the way Mom used to make me blanket pallets on the floor so I could watch TV when I was sick as a kid.
5. Fever Dreams. I seriously love the wackiness of my dreams when I’m running a fever. Last night, I was saying good-bye to a man who was going into the military undercover in a quasi-Irish, quasi-Muslim neighborhood – he was growing a red beard. Then, I was back at Messiah, where I was staying with Jane Friedman and ended up missing the first class I was supposed to teach – on zombies – because I was busy cleaning out Mosey’s litter box. Finally, I had a class with Dr. Nisely to attend, but I couldn’t find it because campus was so big and confusing. I’ll have plenty to ponder about that later today when I am able to get prone again.
I suspect I’ll be mostly recovered in a couple of days, and hopefully, Philip will swing back to health soon, too. But until then, I’m grateful for cuddly dogs, warm blankets, and TV marathons to keep me company.
What do you enjoy when you are sick?