Fevers and Sniffles

Our home has been invaded by the flu this week. I am one to resist being sick and that usually ends up with me pushing slowly though the day like a zombie " I will get this laundry done even if it takes me 10 hours!" then I feel worse a few days later. So on Saturday I started to get a high fever and I think I just understood how bad it was by yesterday as I stood for 15 minutes in the corner grocery store looking at the mozzarella balls float in water and hating myself for walking there with aching muscles and bones. I finally realized I needed to get in bed and follow the doctors orders. A 3 hour nap had me feeling much better. As soon as I got up from my nap my husband called to report that he was getting feverish. I don't know why but it made me glad to have a reason to be useful and not be sick and I was overjoyed to make some chicken noodle soup. We sniffled together on the couch as his temperature increased and mine went down. Today I am gaining energy though still feel dizzy and I managed to walk to the recycling bin and toss our plastics and paper (trash in Italy is separated by category, it is a pain but saves the trees). I am anxious to be all better and make a trip to a museum or somewhere nice, take a lot of picture and feel free again. Feeling sick is so binding! I fight it every second and get really frustrated but maybe it is a small reminder that I'm not really in control of my life in the bigger picture. In Italian they say, "La malattia arriva come un cavallo ma si va a piedi" meaning, "Illnesses arrive at the speed of a horse and leave by foot."

On the positive side of things: I got a lovely visit and medicine basket from an American girlfriend. She brought me a ton of American medicines like Theraflu nightime and Dayquil that are not sold over the counter in Italy. Here, strong medicines that can make you drowsy, are given by a prescription only after a doctors visit. So she rocks for driving down to my place in the middle of winter to medicate me. Additionally, I have been reading a ton of Home Economics books that have me thinking, "When I feel better I am going to do this..." They have me really motivated to do great things like clean the light switches and stove top every day. Awesome. It's incredibly easy to get motivated when you are cozy in bed in your pijamas but following through will be another thing. And lastly, this is pitiful, but I cannot wait to go to the allergist on Monday. Not that I am excited about getting pricked but I really want to blog about the health system where I live. It is pretty great but confusing for people who don't know where to start. I want to take pictures of everything at the hospital and document how to go, register, pay and hopefully I can do that before my visit on Monday.