The flu seriously kicked my butt

Man. It’s been a rough winter.

I got sick with a cold and sinus infection in December. I was wiped out for a few weeks. The in late January I got some weird stomach bug. Thankfully it didn’t keep me out of the game for too long but I did drop 4 pounds in one day. I was dehydrated and couldn’t eat. Gross.

And then, just when you think you’re doing good …

I started my new job, only to end up with the flu at the end of my second week. I had to take a sick day, and it was unpaid. My fever was 101.8 at its highest, but I was consistently taking Advil to keep it low. My lungs hurt so bad. I could barely move, no joke.

What happened?

I usually get sick once a year, wiped out for a week or so and then I’m back on my feet and that’s that. Usually it’s not even too bad. I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been sick so much more often this year.

I have some ideas. Now I share a home with my boyfriend, so my exposure to everything is higher. I used to just go to work and go home and pretty much stay to myself a lot of the time, but now I’m out and about a lot more frequently. I am at the gym a lot. I’m in a busier office where plenty the public is coming and going. I’m also more stressed because my workouts are harder, and teaching places a new kind of stress on my body, too.

I tried switching to morning workouts, and I recently switched back to evening. Yes, I am more tired in the evening because it’s been a long day usually, but being more stressed in the morning, when my exposure to everything out there is higher, I think is actually bad for me.

So, I decided I might as well go back to the way I used to do things. Evening after-work workouts to release some stress from the day. I’m sleeping later and allowing myself some extra time to relax so I don’t go over the edge too often. Lots of healthy fruits and veggies and fish and oils to eat to keep my body happy. Maybe it’s all in my head. But I hope this helps.

I was so angry when I got the flu. I know that life happens. Lots of people I know had gotten it before, during and after I got it, so I am nothing special. It just sucks. It sucks because you think making the right choices will lead to better outcomes, and the truth is that they do, but they don’t make you invincible. Maybe all my seclusion meant that my body lost some immunity to everything that’s out there.

I couldn’t even tell you the last time I had the flu. No idea!

But yes, I am getting a flu shot next year. I think this year has shown me that my life is different now, and I need to be ready for anything.

I had to totally revamp my training, plan too. But the good news is that I’m back at it, and I don’t think I lost too much. I still have a bit of a cough, but I think it’ll go away soon. I’ve been monitoring my blood oxygen levels and heart rate, and everything is A-OK.

Cheers to warmer weather, hoping that we can all get outside more and get rid of some of these nasty bugs that have been circulating!