Actually, I feel like crap, but did not want that to be the title.
I have to find a way to stop catching whatever is going around, illness-wise. I have a cold or something that I caught from the boys. There is just is not any way to prevent these transfers between us because I am not giving up hugs and kisses, even the sloppy ones. When we were playing in the yard on Saturday, the little one, my BuddhaBoy, stopped what he was doing every few minutes to run over and give me a kiss, sometimes with a hug, often not. I knew that he was coming down with something, but I could not bring myself to stop his affections. Because my immune system is so wonky, it takes only a day or two for me to manifest whatever illness I encounter. So, now I am feeling like crap. I have a sore throat and my joints ache. I have a headache and am in serious need of a serious nap. Or two.
I cannot nap until I haul my coughing and wheezing self to the pharmacy and the grocery store. There are no over-the-counter meds here, none at all, and I need them to make me presentable at work later this week. I need a whole basket-full of that stuff and I need it now. The only food in the house is some bread ends, condiments, two apples and some freezer-burned green beans. Oh, and a package of cooked and frozen chicken thighs that look like they have been there since the Carter Administration.
Were it not that the cats need food, I would stay home and make a chicken, green bean and applesauce casserole and serve it with a side of jalapeno jelly for dessert.
All I have to do is wash my face, drag a comb through that snarled mess of stuff on the top of my head and go out and get all that stuff. I dunt wanna.
O.K., I am going, but I am not happy about it. And, when I am at the grocery store I am buying ice cream, dammit. And, maybe some soup from the deli. And some soda. Then I am coming home, will eat my ice cream, then my soup, take a long and steaming shower and go to bed. And Diane Ackerman is going with me.
Sorry to hear that you're suffering, Judsie. Is there a chance you can look at enhancing your immune system with reishi & shitake mushrooms, astralagus root in stews (remove before eating)but don't touch echinacea - it may make your joint aches worse. You could also try a ginger tea with thyme and sage, lemon and honey for your cough and there's always boneset for the aches.
ReplyDeleteAll great ideas, thank you Sarah. I did not know about the link between echinacea and joint pain, but perhaps my body does and that is why I have not used it for a long time.:) Even when I was using it for the purpose of staving off or reducing the duration of colds, I did not find that it helped the way that it did for other people. The mushrooms are out of my budget, but I have used them before, not too long after this immune/blood thing began. I wonder if you are thinking of astralagus in relation to the work being done at UCLA for HIV patients; I probably would have to actually eat tons of it to get sufficient levels of that chemical. It could not hurt to begin using it regularly again, though.
ReplyDeleteI have been drinking tea of ginger, sage and lime. Does lime work the same as lemon?
Lime does work in a similar way being a citrus, but I think lemon is the only citrus which changes from acid to alkaline in your bladder, which is why it is useful for cystitis. Lemon is also more cooling than orange. (I know that doesn't answer your question, but I'm just throwing things I know around!). I didn't know about the work at UCLA, I've just always had astralagus on my list! If you can get hold of David Winston's book on adaptogens- it's great and explains how astralagus and the other adaptogens work and help.
ReplyDelete"...but I'm just throwing things I know around!"
ReplyDeleteWell, if you got it, flaunt it!
I just reserved the book. Thanks.