flu

I haven't been sick for a long time, like late 2007. There were times I felt like something was coming on, but upping my fluids and vitamin C and taking naps always worked to head it off. So I was feeling pretty invincible, especially after seeing my coworkers get sick over and over this fall and winter and never having more than a sneeze or two myself.

Well, I guess I'm mortal after all. I got a huge smackdown this week, in the form of the real-deal flu: headache, body aches, chills, fever, head and chest congestion, wracking cough, dizziness. The first day also featured major nausea and vomiting. That seems to have gone away, but I still don't feel like eating much. I had some ice cream last night, but lost interest when it was clear I couldn't really taste it. I'm trying to drink some orange juice right now, but my throat is so raw it hurts going down.

Not that there's a good time to get sick, but this week was particularly bad. I have classes scheduled every day and we're in the middle of both website usability study and interviews for a faculty position. A colleague covered two of my classes, but I decided to come in this morning for today's session. I figured I'd come in, teach the class, and go home--no problem. Uh, wrong. I managed a shower okay, but it took me 45 minutes to get dressed, then by the time I got to campus I was almost too dizzy to walk. I got through the class--barely--but was a sweaty mess by the end.

Now I'm back home on the couch, wondering if I'll ever feel better. It's only been two days, but I feel the same as I did on Tuesday, minus the vomiting, so I wonder how long this crap takes to heal. I'm scheduled to work this weekend, but I think I'm going to have to get coverage. Spending hours on the reference desk in this condition is not a good plan.