Skip to main content

When a New Year begins with only whispers of the previous year


 I spent the last 45 days of 2024 suffering with a wee bit of the plague. 

It didn't completely stop me, but it came close. I only briefly came out of my isolation to participate in the Lakeshore Community Chorus' holiday concert, to take care of the world's most adorable bairn and then celebrate his first birthday, to attend Christmas Eve worship, to see the bio-pic of Bob Dylan, celebrate NYE with the previously mentioned adorable grandson and his parents and to have short visits with my daughter from a different mother/father and her adorable daughter. I don't think I missed any 'events'.

After each of these 'events' I then went back to my cocoon (the recliner in the living room, with my blankie and water bottle). There I could cough, sneeze and ache in relative comfort with my tissues, Mucinex and Advil nearby. I also discovered the comfort of an occasional hot toddy.

When there were no signs of improvement, I went to my doctor and she prescribed an antibiotic, more rest, more fluids and more Mucinex (but switch to the DM). That seemed to mostly alleviate the sneezing and lessen the hacking. She prescribed a stronger antibiotic and I can say I am now feeling less-plague-y.

Not yet fully human, but getting closer. In fact, my hours in the cocoon have dropped considerably. 

It seemed like the most-fitting end to 2024, being sick. I spent the first half of the year suffering with various mysterious maladies all seemingly related to dangerously low immunoglobulins (IGs); these included eczema, and frequent UTIs. The drug I had been getting to stabilize my MS has the nasty side-effect of lowering the immune response (a double whammy since MS itself does the same thing). I was infused with IGs in April/May and poof the MMs disappeared. Though the IGs are still low, which could relate to the lingering plague. I am talking with my doc this week to see if I can get another IG boost.

I am grateful that I was fortunate to have the time to rest (thank you Cheryl at the Book Nook of Saugatuck for covering my many missed shifts). Delaney and Nelli really did the lion share of Christmas cooking and helping. I was able to browse online, really taking time to select thoughtful (I hope) gifts for Christmas. And last but not least to John, who wasn't feeling well either for most of the time, made me hot toddys and made sure I got to where I needed to be if I needed to be somewhere, and took care of me too.

2025 I pray the lingering whispers of 2024's illnesses are silenced soon and that is a good portent for the rest of the year.





Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2025 at 8:36 AM

    You are an inspiration to so many! ❤️

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

I put my pride aside and got my ass off the grass and into the wheelchair. {I spent a couple minutes deciding whether to put an exclamation mark after that declaration or to put the period after that statement. I think the period better suits my mood about getting said ass into the wheelchair!} On July 4, Saugatuck has a wonderfully unique parade that includes quirky participants like the artsy-fartsy campers at OxBow art colony and the LGBT members of a local foundation along with the more traditional participants like Girl Scouts, fire trucks, and local politicians. It had been a couple years since I had been to the parade, this year, though, my Mom and sister were in town and I wanted to take them. So we loaded up in the van, including Kerri's wheelchair and my own. Once we parked, John asked if I wanted to use my chair and I initially balked but then remembered that it can be a long, hot parade and it might be better to have a place to sit. So, I acquiesced and took the cha...
2 comments
Read more

Christmas cards

I sat down to reluctantly address Christmas cards. While our list has slowly dwindled through the years it's still a sizeable number, especially when it's viewed as a task approached reluctantly . Know what I mean? Some Christmas 'tasks' are a lot less taskier - like decorating or shopping or eating or opening presents. I mean, there's a whole different level of enthusiasm associated with 'tasks' that aren't viewed as tasks - I can't ever remember a time when I sat down to reluctantly open a present or eat a Christmas cookie! Anyway, I approached the Christmas card addressing with a less-than-positive, more bah-humbugish attitude. I poured a cup of coffee, grabbed the markers (I had to have a green, a red and a black one), the list and of course the envelopes (which John had already stuffed with the card). I turned on some Christmas music, but not too loud or it would distract me (and it really doesn't take much to distract me. Squirrel!),...
Post a Comment
Read more

The summer that wasn't

It's July 30. Summer, right? Wrong!!! In Michigan, we had our summer two weeks ago for about 10 days. Saw a recent post on Facebook that read:"You know you're in Michigan when you wear your bathing suit on Monday and your parka on Tuesday." We sweltered for a week or two and then were chilled again. That's where we are now. Chilling at 70. Weather aside, it no longer feels much like summer. The back-to-school ads, commercials, displays and talk have begun full-force. And I feel like I just got used to having the three-not-so-little Piggins home again and now I have to get them ready for school. Delaney has a little longer, but Michael leaves for Wayne State law in two weeks and Matthew for his sophomore year at DePauw in three.  I get the nest re-feathered and damn these 'baby' birds but they stay for too short a time then fly away. *sigh* Since this is the "glass half full" blog of a pseudo-Pollyanna, I will revert to thinking positively ...
Post a Comment
Read more