Paging Dr. House

Thursday was a fab day. I was full of energy and optimism. I met a priest friend for lunch downtown. Then I went to the mall, I needed to stop in at Bath & Body Works to check out Dr. Patricia Wexler's range of face care products. She's a big time NY dermatologist, whose over-the-counter skin care range made it's debut several months ago. I read about it in Vogue and W and other mags. I thought I'd check it out. I've never followed any "program" of skin care. I rely on a simple regimen and fortunately have good genes. But I thought I'd learn more.

I'd just got out of my car and was crossing the parking lot when I felt the urge to cough. It was a weird cough. I didn't know where it came from. In Bath & Body Works, I started feeling dizzy. I thought it was because the starter kit for Dr. Wexler's daily skin care regimen wass 50% off.

Within a very short time it wasn't Dr. Wexler I needed. It was Dr. House.

I was real sick, and getting sicker. By nighttime, I couldn't sit up, couldn't read, light hurt my eyes, my head ached, I couldn't get comfortable.

I barely remember Friday. I spent all day in bed. My fever was 102. Muscles ached. Couldn't read. Couldn't watch tv. Couldn't go to a friend's dinner party--sent husband by himself.

I sort of remember yesterday. I spent all day in bed. My fever was 102. Muscles ached. Couldn't read--eyes hurt.

We didn't know what was wrong with me, only that it was bad. Even the heartless Dr. House would've pitied me. My devoted caretaker decided to play House himself. Since I wasn't able to get myself to a doctor, he went web surfing to figure out what was wrong.

He says I have all the symptoms of the flu. I said I didn't think there was much flu in the area. He said there definitely is.

Well, if this is flu, I've never had a real flu in my whole life. This malaise is unprecendented. This is the sickest I have ever been. I was blessed with a good immune system, but for once it really let me down.

Because it was St. Patrick's Day weekend, last night I limped to our downstairs sitting room, propped myself on the sofa with some pillows, and we watched The Secret of Roan Inish.

I spent today in bed. Fever is down. Head and eyes and muscles still ache. I'm weak and very cough-y. I did get up, eventually because, as I said to my husband a short time ago, "I'm really tired of this room."

I'll miss 2 important meetings tomorrow. (One of them is the Library's "what do we do now?" meeting.) I've cancelled a Tues. dental appointment.

If I get to feeling a little better, I know I'll be crazy bored. But, if I get to feeling a little better, I might be able to sit up in bed and read a book. Or use a laptop.

I've got a couple of really good nurses. Lola and Shadow hang out in the bedroom with me. Mostly they're sleeping, too, but occasionally they come over to the bed to check on me.

Time to take more drugs.