'Flu -ish' Me!

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Suddenly the last days of summer opened up in Toronto. A whole week and sun, warm temperatures and surely, some wonderful boat time! It was not to be. I succumbed to a foreign invader!  A nasty cold or flu virus struck on Tuesday morning. 'Me' thinks it was the flu, although a self diagnosis is not recommended. But it was more than one of my usual simple colds. It includes fever, body aches and a very dry cough.

So, I have been at home all week wearing a heavy grey knit sweater and hanging out on the front room chesterfield. No, Maureen did not kick me out of the bedroom! I just could not find the switch to turn off the persistent dry cough - to say nothing of the tossing and turning. But "Doctor Mom" insisted I drink hot honey-lemon drinks before banishing myself to that lonely couch.

However, I thought I should also consult Dr. Google, and searched the Mayo Clinic page. It supported Dr. Mom's cold remedies to help me along, but I found something I did not like - 'there is no cure for the common cold', and I could be sick for one or two weeks! The remedies suggested don't heal, they just make the passage a little more comfortable.

Now that I am feeling better I have to ask myself, "Is it too early in 2015 for the flu bug to bite ?" I took a peek in FluWatch and it reported there is little or no influenza activity in Canada at the moment. However, week 34 (August 17 - 23) does show a few levels have been reported. Ha, I caught the little bugger when I made a visit to one of the big hospitals last Monday morning for a blood test. My younger sister, a nurse, has always advised me to stay away from hospitals!

For me it has been a bit of a journey. I don't ever  remember feeling this disabled. But even worse, some of the thoughts and ideas that roamed through my imagination, as I lay awake late into the night, were somewhat unsettling. Should I go to emergency? I hate sitting there for hours on end especially if I have a simple cold. But what if it is pneumonia? That can be serious stuff for an octogenarian. I recalled a card I had received from my older sister, dated June 11, 2015, who was hospitalized for a "minor" fall. "Dear Dick - John brought me a box of cards from home. The obituary for Frank Forestell (a boyhood friend) was in the box so I thought I should mail it to you. Hope you move onto the boat soon. Love Betty." The next day I received a phone call that she had died. This is what it is to be human.

Not only did my illness keep me awake, but those memories of loved ones and the thoughts of my own future, made it impossible to sleep. Most of all I pondered the though that when I die everything is changed. Everyone I loved, and everything I worked for, is no longer there for my comfort and enjoyment. I know our culture does not encourage thinking about death, but we sometimes underestimate the power of our thoughts. As an octogenarian I still have someone to love and everything that matters.........I peacefully fell asleep.

I am not sure that this is a quote but it seems to stick in my mind so I will either claim it or adopt it."I am here. I'll never take that for granted."

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week

Did you Know ?

The world has a refugee problem? How will it be solved? Turkey might not be perfect, but it has opened its doors to almost 2 million people! Shame on the procrastinators!