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Friday, July 9, 2010

How to have a voice like Kathleen Turner's without even trying

My bed has been my haven for the past few days. I'd like to say I was, ahem, busy making my trailer rock, *wiggling eyebrows*, but that would have taken too much energy. I got hit with this terrible cold, cough, hacking-up-a-lung, forever-blowing-my-ever-dripping-schnoz, feeling-like-I'm-swallowing-razor-blades, sounding-like-I-smoked-2-packs-of-Marlboro's-a-day-voice illness.

It hasn't been pretty.

At night I sleep in the recliner so a) my head is raised and I don't cough as much; and b) so I don't keep my husband up all night with my coughing (at least ONE of us can sleep!)

By day I crawl into the bed and doze, or read, or watch TV. Temperatures the past couple of days have been in the high 80's with humidity to match. It's been miserable. Sometimes it's hard for the trailer's a/c to keep up. But the bedroom is always nice and cool. I keep the shades drawn; the sheets are cool. Nothing feels better to someone who's running a mild temperature. A king sized bed feels REALLY big when you're the only one in it!



(Note the book, laptop, TV remote all within reach. If you look in the mirror you can see the reflection of the TV. I had to make sure that you didn't see ME standing there in my underwear and T-shirt taking this picture, reflected in the mirror, and turning this photo into one of those creepy pictures you see on e-bay where people sell their stuff with their naked reflections in them. Yucko!)

Tuesday we had to take the trailer in to have some minor work done. The place opened at 6:30 A. FREAKIN' M. They recommended that we get the trailer in ASAP. Yeah, right, that would be happening.

We got out of bed at 6:00 am. Well, let's just say Jim got up, I kind of stumbled, mumbled and growled. You see, not only do we have to get up early, we also have to pack down the trailer, take it in, THEN WE HAVE NO HOME at the wee hours of the morning. And I feel like, well, for lack of a better word, shit.

I was NOT a happy camper.

We got the trailer in a 7:40 a.m.

Jim talked to the guy at the shop till 7:45 a.m.

Tick-tock.

Now what.

That's all I wanted to do was lie down and die. My head was throbbing, I couldn't stop coughing and basically I just needed to shove a wad of kleenex up both nostrils to stop the dripping. Either my nose was dripping OR it was so stuffed that I couldn't breath. No happy medium.

I told Jim that I wanted to go to one of those Immediate Care places to get on some medicine. We are supposed to leave on a big trip on Saturday*.

So we went to the Immediate Care place down the road.

I was the only one in the waiting room. How strange.

I still had to wait.

Finally a nurse called my name and brought me into the room. She was friendly enough, didn't even weigh me (YAHOO!), just asked me my weight (had I known that was going to be the case I would have LIED). She asked me if I was on any medication and my head was pretty fuzzy at this point. I usually carry a card listing everything I take and the dosage, but I just changed purses and didn't put everything in the new one. I explained that to the nurse and told her that I DID happen to have my pills with me. (I didn't eat breakfast yet so I just grabbed them.) I ran out of the room, grabbed the pills, came back in and spilled them on the table, pointing out each one and telling her what they were. She was pretty impressed.

She did one of those instant Strep tests on me, which I warned her that I had a SIGNIFICANT gag reflex. I must have put the fear of GOD in her because the look on her face was priceless when she heard me gag! I must say, she moved pretty fast! But I didn't puke, just made the gag sound.

I had to wait some more even though I didn't hear ANY activity happening ANYWHERE. Finally a doctor came in. I pegged him to be in his early 50's. But I don't think he had been a doctor for a long time, because he didn't seem real sure of himself. He made this kind of "ha-ha" laugh after every thing he said.

I know. Reassuring as all get out.

Finally he said he would give me two prescriptions - one for the congestion, and one antibiotic. He wanted me to wait to fill the antibiotic for three days to see if I really needed it. The other prescription? Nose spray. Yeah. You can bet your sweet bippy I filled that antibiotic in a New York minute and popped that horse pill down with breakfast.

That's what we did next. Went to breakfast, spent some time at the library, and then went to a movie. They tried to stop me when they saw me carrying in a plastic bag. They said, "Sorry. We don't allow any food from the outside to be brought in."

I quipped, "It's a box of kleenex and cough drops."

I opened up the bag for the girl to look, and she went to reach inside to dig around. I yelped, "Don't touch it! It's full of snot rags!"

Her arm shot back like the bag was full of snakes. Jeez.

We saw Toy Story 3 in 3D. I didn't really care if we saw it in 3D or not, but it was playing at noon and we needed to waste some time so 3D it was. The movie is great, I give it a thumbs up!

I think I'm on the road to recovery, although I still sound like a combination of Suzanne Pleshette



and Kathleen Turner



only now she looks like this



I suppose Jim would like if I said something sexy to him, but I can't really say a whole sentence without a cough or my voice giving out. Plus, he probably doesn't even want me NEAR him, but it's too late. He's got the germ. He's been sniffling, sneezing, coughing here and there, and letting out the big sighs like, "OH, I AM SICK".

You know what I'm thinking.

No?

I'm thinking, "YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET, BUSTER!"




*Our plans are to leave for North Carolina on Saturday for a wedding. We will take 6 days to drive to our destination. But now that Jim is getting sick, our plans might all have to be canceled because this cold/cough is a doozy and who feels like DRIVING when you feel like that?

18 comments:

Mike said...

It must suck having to take your house in for work! LOL

I loved the I am not a happy camper line!

Hard to believe that I was once hot for Kathleen Turner.

I hope that you are feeling a bit better. I don't know why they even check for strep? Just give an antibiotic and be done with it!

Where you going in NC??

Historical sites with charmine said...

Pat,get well soon and I hope your hubby too feels better soon.Hope the truck is repaired and your resting.

Drink lots of hot soup,drink water & honey and gargle with salt water.Steam inhalation,just water too helps...I used to have bad colds once.

Brian Miller said...

smiles. hope you feel better. being sick sucks....glad toy story 3 was good...waiting on the dollar theatre...hope you are back to trailer rocking soon. smiles.

Sunny said...

I'm sorry that you've been so miserable. Getting sick in hot/humid weather makes it feel even worse.
Hope your hubby feels better too.
Take care and keep cool.
☼ Sunny

f8hasit said...

Sorry Pat to hear that both of you guys have that summer muck! It's a doozy! I felt a little of it coming back the other day and IMMEDIATELY started gargling, using the Neti Pot (gross, but it works) and eating bowls of Vitamin C like cereal...

Hope you make your pre-scheduled plans. Thanks for adding the then/now photos of Kathleen Turner. Now when I look in the mirror I'll be able to say that I'm not aging as bad as her!!!
:-)

BigSis said...

Being sick sucks, but that bed looks SO COMFY!

Anonymous said...

gawwwwwwwwwwd that sounds awful.....I hope you both get better soon and are able to make your wedding...hugs

Valerie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Valerie said...

There is NOTHING worse than a summer cold. Hope you both recover enough to go to the wedding. Take it easy until then, no trailer rocking for a while, huh?

http://tinyurl.com/35obqe5

Unknown said...

That must be one heck of a camper with that bedroom! So sorry you're sick. I've been there..still am. No fun!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Get Better Soon (Both of Y'all). I know it sucks having to have work done on your house on wheels even when you're feeling well. (Actually I hope the RV is all well too!)
!

Kathy's Klothesline said...

So sorry you were sick. Note that I said "were"..... being optimistic. I hope the man in your life isn't like mine when he is sick........ soooo needy! Mine has shingles and yes, I know they are very painful, but he has vicodin to take and sleeps soundly; after he moans a lot and keeps me awake!

Hope you get to stay on your schedule and make your trip.

Snowflake said...

It sucks to be sick when it's hot outside and it would really SUCK BIG TIME if you were "homeless" and sick!!! Hope you're both feeling better soon!!!

Lynda said...

That same cold virus is making the rounds on this side of the continent, too! A few of my friends had it this past weekend. I agree with some of the advice given by those above. Chicken soup is my favorite for it.
Your bed does look wonderfully comfy. Too bad you couldn't have staying in it while they worked on your vehicle. Maybe they would have gotten done faster.
Sure hope your husband doesn't get really sick, too. Then you will have to share the recliner and bed!

Gail said...

I think I have the same bug but your is much funnier.

Teresa said...

i'm sorry that you're both sick. it is so much worse (seemingly so) to get a cold/virus in the summer. it's hard to snuggle down in the covers when it's already a flipping furnace outside. ick!

i hope that you're on the road to recovery with that medication. hate that you might miss the wedding because of the illness but i understand about not feeling like driving when you're sick. no way, no day.

take care.

becky said...

That bed looks waaaaay more comfortable than the one I am sleeping in now! If ya gotta be sick, might as well be there. Hope you guys are feeling better SOON so you don't have to cancel!
good luck!

Donna B. said...

Pat, I am so sorry you are so miserable...and now Jim! Despite your sickness, your writing always makes me laugh. I LOVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!

I am curious. What type trailer do you have? Probably an RV, right? (King size bed). We have a 6 cylinder Camry and a 4 cylinder Honda. Would you happen to know if either of those cars can pull a Airstream Trailer?

My email is donnab6464@gmail.com.

Thanks...hope you feel better soon.
Sorry you guys may miss the wedding...hang in there...