Makes me want to puke

Dang-blast-it, if it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Last week it was the discomfort of badly sunburned arms, which have finally faded and stopped hurting. This week it’s some kind of flu bug or something that’s given me an upset stomach, to go along with the regular aches and pains.

During the first half of the week, I was pretty tired, which I figured was from enjoyable but tiring babysitting endeavours Sunday — lots of playing on the floor with granddaughter Rachel, carrying her around (and she is getting big), pushing her in her cart and other stuff.

However, while resting to overcome the fatigue, I noticed my stomach was slightly unsettled.

And then came the surprise. The other night I was just sitting there, shortly after dinner, and I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea. Which actually wasn’t the surprise. One of the many lovely side effects of the cornucopia of medicine I take is occasional sudden waves of nausea in which I feel like I’m going to throw up. But I never do. I just have the fun of constantly feeling like I am about to. If it goes on long enough, it leaves me wishing I WOULD throw up, just to get it over with. But the best thing is to just sit very still, or lie down very quietly, until it passes.

But there was something different this time. The feeling was more intense. And suddenly I realized that for once it was the real thing and if I moved a muscle, things could get messy.

Fortunately Mariette noticed me sitting there frozen in place, staring straight ahead, afraid to move even an eyeball. I forget what she asked but I somehow mumbled, without moving my lips, “I eed a ay-sin.” Being a nurse she understood my medical shorthand and scooted out to the kitchen and returned with a plastic basin. And non too soon. The mere act of taking it and placing it in front of me was enough to trigger . . .

Well, you’ve been there. You don’t need a description.

I was quite relieved to discover that though violent it wasn’t voluminous, and thus quite easy to control and confine to the basin which made clean-up a snap. The round of dry heaves was no fun but at least everything that did come out came out just the one hole — if you “nose” what I mean. 😉

After the quick cleanup I drank some water which triggered a second round — again one of the least unpleasant and least messy episodes of barfing I’ve ever endured.

But I’ve been existing on dried crackers and toast ever since, though I think I am about to try some soup.

Now don’t worry. Not every post is going to make reference to health issues, or why I’ve taken a whole week to get around to posting again. But there’s a certain reality to all this, a context that not only may help people understand factors at work here, but also prove to be something they can relate to. I may be the only one crazy enough to talk in public about puking, but I bet I’m sure not the only one who has been through something like this. 🙂