Let's face it: a pall of misery is cast over the whole house. Nothing cheers, nothing elates......your loved one (in this case my wife) is suffering and barely able to cope with even the most rudimentary tasks. "Christmas"? What's that? Oh, you mean it's today? Didn't know! Too sick coughing, sneezing and barely able to breathe!
Obviously the above symptomology doesn't refer to norovirus about which I wrote three blogs ago, but rather the flu, influenza. (Interesting as we both had flu shots over a month ago!) We were both certain when she began sniffling on Friday evening it was just a mild cold, no biggie....nothing to get hysterical about. But by Monday night it was clear this was no ordinary cold. It had gone down into her chest and impaired breathing....and too, caused enormous phlegm production. She was basically up all night, going into the bathroom to cough up well, ....really nasty stuff. Christmas Eve? Surely you jest!
The thing with a bad illness is the pall cast suddenly collapses all day distinctions- special ones, say, from any ordinary ones. To the "sick" (as we refer to the person in Barbados) all days are the same and a special day feels the same as any ordinary day. How can it be otherwise when all your senses are blunted, your taste, hearing, smell.....nothing works and the only thing produced is well....you don't want to know!
With the first White Christmas in Colorado Springs in more than ten years, we had originally planned - as far back as last Thursday when the forecast was made - to go for a walk in the snow. Janice is like a child in the snow, and you can tell from the glee erupting in her eyes. Though a born Bajan, she always loved two things: snow and the mountains. Even up to yesterday morning she had talked of still doing it, but I warned it was best to bide time and see how her "cold" developed. This morning there's no issue, and btw, she's still in bed sleeping, trying to catch up on the zzzzzs she missed last night.
Today's dinner was supposed to be a pork shoulder roast with stuffing, which she had still intended to do (her own recipe) up to last night. This morning, I am planning to tell her (when she finally awakens): 'NO Way!' She can give me the instructions on how to prepare it and I will do it! Hell, I already regularly do the lamb roasts when we (very occasionally) have leg of lamb - so a pork shoulder roast can't be that much harder.
As for today's plans, those depend on her. Given that in the midst of a bad flu (I can vouch as I caught the Hong Kong flu in 1968, yes....right at Xmas!) the sick one is limited even in considering what can be done, far less whether, it is very likely the most plausible activity will be watching TV. We still have plenty of stuff unwatched on our DVR and maybe also, if she's up to it, I can put on some Xmas music to cheer her! (She's especially fond of the Kings College Choir, in their usual Xmas arrangements).
We will see!
For the rest of you, if everyone in your household is healthy just be thankful! And remember to treasure that good health when you have it. Never ever take it for granted! Especially on a major holiday!
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