Friday, November 20, 2009

I have been speaking to the National Pandemic people and it looks as though I may have swine flu (it seems to have come in the wake of chest infection). Not that they can tell for sure, obviously, but enough boxes were ticked for them to suggest a) contacting my gp and b) taking antivirals. I tried to do a and then hung up after waiting for ages, not their fault but it's tiring at the end of a line with a high temperature, more tiring than doing a little blog post. Temperatures are a good thing, they burn things away, and I will try and stay with it for a bit. I am not persuaded that taking antivirals is necessarily a good thing. I don't know. My gut feeling is not to, so I'll go with that.

I gave Son a lift in the car yesterday and sneezed. Bugger. He is due to travel to India to work for several months on 7th December and has work commitments until then. He is away this weekend, saying goodbye to friends (just as well), Daughter was due to come with lovely new boyfriend on Sunday for lunch, and to collect important things for a project she is putting on in London. "I can't get ill now," she says, "I just can't." So Mr. Signs will have to go to the station and hand the heavy bag of photocopied material over at the station and not breathe on her or the boyfriend in case he is incubating. In fact, neither of us should breathe on anyone at all for - I need to look up how long. I probably shouldn't even be breathing on you, folks.

There is a nagging voice that says, you brought this on yourself by blasting away on the NaNo. You knew it was too much, didn't you? Shut up, I say. And when this is over I am going back to it - The Writing, I mean.

Meanwhile, I'll be spooking around the place and dreaming.

21 comments:

Zhoen said...

NaNo does not carry a virus, someone breathed on you is all. So sorry. It's a bugger of a bug, and a lingering thing. Keep on top of it, or hide under it, but don't try to simply ignore it is all. Nurture yourself.

Mim said...

Flu can happen to anyone. Nothing you did! Here's hoping you get well soon.

Anna MR said...

Oh you poor dear heart. Just make sure to (get Mr Signs to) look after yourself.

I like what I'm hearing - that you'll keep at the nanothing even if you don't make it by the 30th. There are a large number of folks here doing it (here being Helsinki) and, as I attended a biggish gathering today, overheard someone say about someone else, whose writing I've actually always really rather dug, that they decided to opt out of being "a winner" because "they wanted to write something really good". So, you know. Keep that in mind.

I need to coffee and you need warm blankets and sleep. And that's quite clear.

Health and recovery your way, seestah

x

Mel Parks said...

So sorry to hear it's not letting up - those nasty bugs. Just as it was all going so well. She will still be looking for her mother when you get back. She needs you...

xx

Cusp said...

Oh so sorry to hear you've caught the lurgy. Nasty bug. All t'others are right...it has nothing to do with over-stretching yourself; just you in wrong place at wrong time.

Do take care of yourself and, from what I hear from friends who have had the bug, only take the anti-viral as last resort. It realy doesn't seem to make much difference to you getting better any quicker or any complications afterwards.

BTW Poesie loves the opportunity to be Nursie and no doubt is already searching in her Bismark Bag (as opposed to Gladstone) for her uniform: starched white apron, black nights and a little white titfer with red cross and huge brass spike on top. I believe she also favours her own remedies for flu....hot lemon drinks with honey and a monumental bratwurst on the side.

Look after yourselves (*)

Reading the Signs said...

Thanks for your messages, good people.

Mel? I like that thought, yes. I hope she keeps warm until I can get back to her.

trousers said...

Yes we do seem to be in the midst of another wave of flu - swine or otherwise - so I'm doubtful that it's down to anything else you've done that could bring such a thing on.

In fact I feel lucky that I haven't come down with anything myself as yet and am keeping my fingers crossed (for all the good that that will do).

Anyway hope you regain your health and strength at the earliest opportunity, you certainly sound full of fighting spirit.

Word ver = obinesu which sounds to me like some kind of vapour-rub.

Reading the Signs said...

Trousers, thank you kindly for the Obinesu, just what I need with this infernal cough.

Ruth said...

I am popping in to say a couple of things.

First, I am not liking that you are ill. And I do hope and pray your Son will be well heading over to a country that I long to visit, and where he needs all the strength and health he can take.

Second, thank you for your kind visit to my place. I will attend to your sweet blog after this holiday - maybe tomorrow morning in the wee hours when no one else is awake. I am now at my in-laws, and I was up alone but now I hear movement stirring, must go.

Happy Thanksgiving. Be well, you and your fellow Signs.

Oh, Hi Little Anna!

Reading the Signs said...

Ruth, thanks for your sweet thoughts and good wishes. Though we do not have Thanksgiving here, it feels strangely nice to be wished a happy one - first time ever. Happy one to you too.

Cusp said...

Are you feeling any better ?

Do hope so

Reading the Signs said...

I'm over the flu, Cusp - but the aftermath, as you can imagine, is laying its hod of bricks on me. Very post-viral.

Cusp said...

Poor you....that's what I've heard from other people too. Do take good care of yourself. Lots of Floradix and rest

Cusp said...

Poor you....that's what I've heard from other people too. Do take good care of yourself. Lots of Floradix and rest

rachelcreative said...

Poor Signs :(

The ME Association suggested from those who've given feedback that the Flu part runs it's course as per normal healthy folks (about a week) provided you don't have extra lung/heart problems.

But that the aftermath is awful for ME/CFS types.

Sounds like your experience too.

Hope you can recover quickly and not feel too yucky.

Reading the Signs said...

Hi Rachel - thanks for the kind thoughts. It's always the aftermath, isn't it? The flu itself was just flu - not nice, but it does its thing and goes. Aftermath is less predictable.

Ruth said...

And where are you? I didn't find a place listed where I could get a clue.

Reading the Signs said...

I don't think I understand the question, Ruth. Not (to my knowledge) listed anywhere. Or do you mean where am I in England? Sussex - Ashdown Forest.

Digitalesse said...

Get well soon, Signs. Sending you lots of healing vibes.

Montag said...

Don't look at this until Dec. 1, or thereafter.

The writing is an elixir, not a system depressant. I think the BBC Health reported anti-oxidants and such within the plot outlines.

Reading the Signs said...

Hi Digi, thanks for the vibes, appreciated.

dear Montag - look, I have waited until December. The writing may be an elixir, but it is also hard, physical slog, or can transalate into such. For "as above, so below" - I spend my vital substance in the doing of it. Gladly, it goes without saying.