Three Days in the Trees...

In the trees - from my bedroom window
Photo by Loree Huebner

Last Thursday, I left work early. By 6 pm, my body was not my own anymore. Pain shot through every molecule of my being. Every muscle and joint ached with such intensity that it was difficult just to move. My insides decided to turn outside on me…yep, at both ends. I was trapped in a horrific case of influenza with no way out. This isn’t happening!

On Friday, you would think it would get better after my stomach finally settled...nada chance. I lay in my bed, burning with fever, feeling like I had been run over by a truck. I had two brief moments where I struggled to sit up enough to pop open my lap top, check email and blogs. Yes I can do this…a no I can’t. That would be it. No writing. No reading. I couldn’t sit up for more than ten minutes at a time without my head spinning and pounding. The TV was on, but all I could do was stare out at the beautiful bare trees from my second floor bedroom windows. The view is quite a lovely sight—it’s like being in the trees.

As Friday slid into Saturday, the pain and misery only got worse. I remember thinking at one point that people have died from influenza. I understood the seriousness of it. This case of “the grip” had me wondering if I should go to the hospital. I think myself to be a strong and healthy woman, but I was no match for this “grip” thing. I remember starting to remind my husband where the important papers and life insurance documents were…you know, just in case. Eric smiled and quickly hushed me, as he put a cool rag to my head. I would doze, dream, and wake to be in the trees again.

Late Saturday afternoon, I began to feel a turn for the better—ever so slight, but a good turn. I was finally able to eat some toast and drink down some tea. Eric sat down on the bed next to me. He looked out the window and said, “I love looking out of the windows up here, it’s like being in the trees.”

Sunday morning, nearly 48 hours after I got sick, Eric got the flu. Now he’s in the trees.

Ever get the flu so bad that you were just totally incapacitated? We're you ever left as weak as a kitten by an illness? Ever use an illness, or describe a sickness in your writing?  

Since Eric is “in the trees” - this week's The History Corner post will not be included in this post. It will be posted next week. He also is going to change the name of his posts to The Civil War Bivouac. Please visit next week for his post, along with my regular post.


Also, take care, there is a wicked flu monster on the loose out there. 

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree