For the past three days, I’ve been suffering with one of the worst viruses I’ve had in years. It’s not strep, although in some ways I wish it was because then I could get some drugs to kill it. Per the nurse’s instructions, I’ve been alternating between an acetaminophen with pseudoephedrine and ibuprofen every three hours, and it’s made the symptoms manageable.
This is the second time in the past year that I have been so sick I’ve spent at least three days home from work, and it would have been a third if my last illness hadn’t occurred while I was on vacation at Christmas. Since I moved to Washington in September 2004, I’ve had various minor virus infections in addition to the three major ones that have knocked me out this year. Is it the new location? Am I just getting all of the viruses that are native to the area? I know I haven’t been eating as healthy as I should be, and I’ve put on about fifteen pounds since the summer of 2004. Could my obesity be contributing to my weakened immune system?
These are the things I have been contemplating while sitting on the couch trying to entertain myself with DVDs and online browsing for the past few days.
