The Flu

I am on day 8 of what may be ....

Y'all, that's as far as I got writing when I was sick. I have about three days left of antibiotics. Finished the steroid pack last night, have half a bottle of prescription cough syrup remaining, and used an inhaler for the first time in my life. 

I got the first inklings of a sore throat the first morning waking up at the Mammoth Cave Horse Camp. Within 48 hours I had a fever so high that I was wearing long sleeves, pants, and warm boots sitting in 90 degree Kentucky or Tennessee heat and I was shivering. A couple hours later I splurged on a hotel and thought I was on the road to recovery when my fever broke. Two more nights in a hotel in Arkansas to rejuvenate and the chest congestion and sinus drainage started to get worse. I skipped my other stops and drove to stay with family a bit before Thanksgiving. 

Day eight was the limit. The fever was back, the cough was severe enough to hurt my back muscles, I couldn't think straight or keep food in me, and I was sleeping 16 hours a day. I went to the doctor and received negative flu, COVID, and strep tests; it was apparently bronchitis or an upper respiratory infection and the digestive issues were secondary to being able to breathe.

I'm feeling more on the mend two weeks and four prescriptions later, but still a bit foggy and wishing I could curl up in bed. Getting sick happens. It just makes it difficult to head out on solo adventures or even keep up with the dog. I'm excited to tell you more about my other stops and get to planning the next leg of the trip. I just need to get healthy first.

Keep coming back!