I have managed to catch pretty much every illness that has gone around work. It seems particularly bad in my building this year, and we seem to be passing a lot of things around.
I started the year off with an upper respiratory infection. A few weeks ago I had the stomach virus that was making the rounds. I ended up in the emergency room for IV fluids and medication with that one. If anyone around you has it, run! For the past week it has been the flu. One of my co-workers came down with it last Thursday, and I started coming down with it last Friday. Nick started coming down with it on Tuesday.
I can’t help wondering what I’m doing wrong. It kind of feels like my immune system has packed up and gone on vacation. It certainly doesn’t seem to be doing its job.
I realize I get exposed to a lot of stuff at work. Nick does, too, and it definitely seems like we bring a lot of illness home to each other.
I wash my hands constantly. I periodically clean my desk and keyboard at work with alcohol wipes. I wash my hands as soon as I come home from work. I go for acupuncture and reflexology regularly. We’ve also started using some essential oils. There’s a blend that’s supposed to promote a healthy immune system, and Nick and I both use it daily. We don’t have the healthiest diet in the world, but we definitely don’t live off of fast food or junk food.
I can’t help wondering what I’m missing. Is there some magic potion that everyone else knows about?
So what do you do to stay healthy? Do you manage to avoid catching every single thing the people around you come down with? If, so how?!? I’m hoping you’ll have lots of great suggestions. I’d love to hear them!
Or, if you seem to get sick all of the time, too, and want to commiserate in the comments, that’s fine too. Misery loves company, right?
And, to keep this post from becoming a total whine fest, I’m sharing a picture of Howard doing his meerkat pose. He started doing this back in December, and we’re not sure why. He just sits like this fairly often now. He looks adorable doing it.
He reminds me of a meerkat when he does it. His vet says he looks a Buddha statue. Nick’s mom says he looks like a weeble wobble. What do you think?
I hope you’re all staying healthy, and I’m looking forward to catching up on everyone’s blogs.
I don't think I've had more that maybe one cold since I retired in '08. Staying away from people who go to work sick on the train and at work, and not having any children around seems to make a big difference.
ReplyDeleteHoward looks so cute :) Love his pose! Sorry you've been sick so much lately! Thankfully, I haven't had too many sicknesses lately. First sign of a cold, I start bumping (overdosing) on vitamin C. I take tons (literally) of it; probably 20-30 capsules in a short period of time and then continue to mega dose and can use avert a cold that way. Thankful the stomach flu hasn't made its way here for a few years. Not sure how we prevented that. I do know since watching the grands, the older one brings home a bug, the wee one catches it, and though I'm around them I thankfully haven't picked up too much. Probably because I try to hand wash a lot. I'm no help at all to offer advice though on how to stay healthy. Probably lots of rest, healthy eating, and hand washing (and it helps for me because I work at home so not exposed). Hubby has been a touch sicker sometimes. We make it a point that if we think we are contagious with something we don't kiss on the lips to spread germs. so maybe I did offer a bit of advice???
ReplyDeletebetty
I found you via Betty and Tarryterre's blogs. So sorry to hear of your sickness. I am a nut about washing my hands and I did receive a flu shot in the fall. I have not been sick this winter but of course, I am retired. When I worked, it was hard to stay healthy. I have a blog friend who is a retired nurse who also uses the essential oils, like you mention here. I hope you will get to feeling better and enjoy the weekend. Mildred in Georgia.
ReplyDeletep.s. I love the photo of your cat! So sweet. We have 5 rescue cats and they make life fun.
ReplyDeleteI had that kind of sick winter last year. This year just one respiratory infection after Christmas. My grandson was sick a lot last year but this year we pulled him out of his gym classes -where moms brought their sick kids - and he hasn't been sick. Now this crazy warm weather has set off my allergies. Achoo. Feel detter.
ReplyDeletehoward is definitely cool with his meercat Buddha pose. sorry to hear about your health woes. it's been a bad year for alot of people with all the bugs going round. i think trying the essential oils was a good idea to incorporate that mentality in your day to day living.
ReplyDeleteI hope this finds you and yours doing well. May we display your linked header on our new site directory, SiteHoundSniffs.com? As it is now, the site title (linked back to its home page) is listed, and we think displaying the header will attract more attention.
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Well, first of all, I adore Howard's pose. Since Gypsy's days, the cats have had to sit up for treats or food. (Lizzie loves it when the cat sitter comes and she gets a break!). But never "just because." I love that -- and he's an orange boy like Gypsy was, so my heart melts.
ReplyDeleteI am really sorry you've had a bad winter. You teach, right? (Sorry, I forgot) That's sick time waiting to happen, I suspect. I used to have a very low immune system due to a lot of things that are TMI. You can check that with blood work. It's called the IgA test and there are several variations. I'd check with the doc to see what they might do or think. You're doing all the right things with the handwashing and being aware but your environment isn't the best and so I suspect it's the same thing over and over in variations! I will say that after I quit work I got much healthier! I could shop when stores were empty, sleep better and longer, recharge. I'm not sure you have that option, though. I wish you good luck. Only one bad cold so far this winter... my fingers are crossed.
Finally, thanks for coming over to the Gypsy and all those wonderful comments. I so appreciate your visit. I especially appreciate your kind comments about my post on the press during this political season. And about the wine -- if you're ever having to bring wine to something, check the Cork Poppers link -- there are lots of options, all prices (some probably not available everywhere) but some safe bets!
Do get well soon!
Sorry you've been so sick. Hope you get a break from viruses and flu bugs for a while.
ReplyDeleteI don't always catch everything that's going around, but most of the time I do. Sometimes I swear the harder I try not to catch something from someone, the worse I am when I catch it... It's like the virus - or whatever it is - punishes me for trying not to catch it. So, the answer to your question is... I don't!
He kind of looks like a Buddha to me, too.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how not to get sick. I've only had a couple colds this year, and that's pretty normal for me. I'm not over zealous with the washing of the hands or hand sanitizer. I think worrying about getting sick makes one more prone to getting sick. It's like focusing on the possibility brings it around.
Rest. I'd say make sure you're getting enough rest, even when you're well. And make sure you're getting enough vitamin C and zinc. Especially when you're well.
I think I manage to avoid most colds by not being around children and by avoiding hand sanitizer. A former manager who grew up in India told me that he thought that many American ills had their roots in people trying to be super sanitary. In his view, nothing was better than good old-fashioned soap. I also get my annual flu shot - the last time I got the flu was the year they ran out early and I was never able to get the vaccination. Or maybe, I am just lucky??? I did catch one stomach bug this year but I was fortunate to not get it as bad as some.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I totally LOVE Howard's meerkat post. My cat Sputnik used to do that too... only since he was a black and white tuxedo cat, we called it his penguin pose.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some good advice for you around getting sick. These days I don't get exposed nearly as much as I used to since I'm home all the time. But back when I used to work at the music school, it seemed like every virus in the greater metropolitan area came through that building! Washing hands certainly helped, but more than that it was training myself not to touch my face that made the real difference. Most viruses get on your skin, then they get into your system when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth. So if you can train yourself not to do that it really helps.
I also have a crazy theory about vitamin C. This is just total CatLady craziness, I've never heard anyone else with this theory but... they say that when you ingest more vitamin C than your body can utilize, the excess is shed both through the urine and through your skin. So my theory is that vitamin C helps to keep you from getting sick by making your skin acidic, which makes it more difficult for the viruses to survive on your skin. That may be pure craziness, but it's my theory!
Oh, and if you feel like you're starting to get sick, try zinc lozenges. I use cold-eez brand - the lemon honey are the least horrible tasting. Anyhow, the zinc makes it harder for the virus to replicate, so there's clinical evidence that sucking on the lozenges can reduce both the length and the severity of a cold.
Hope you're done getting sick for a while. Sounds like you deserve a break!
LOL at Howard. LOVE that pose!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty good at avoiding the ick, thankfully. I don't do anything in particular except use antibacterial hand sanitizer whenever I'm near sick people, I don't hug or let people touch me so that probably helps, too. lol I don't take any particular vitamin though I probably should but as soon as I think I'm getting even the least bit sick I'll chug orange juice like you wouldn't believe. Thankfully that nearly always knocks it out for me.
I hope you're feeling better soon and can avoid the ick next time it goes around.
Hey Danielle! haven't stopped by in awhile. Helping my folks has become more demanding. I started off the year sick as well, with a sinus infection that last almost three months! nasal flushes really help with head colds. I also gave up sugar this year - it just wears on the immune system and adds to inflammation, which is a problem for me. I drink more water than I used to, and washing the hands, yep, super important. I do take daily supplements too, Vit C is always good. Hope to check in here more often!
ReplyDeleteOH, Howard is so, so cute!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you keep catching whatever's going around, Danielle. I guess I've been lucky ... I take mass transit every day, and have managed to stay relatively un-sick. Knock on wood, because I don't want to jinx it. ;)
Get well soon, dear friend.
HAHA...I don't! Sorry...My health started to decline many years ago but really took a nose dive in around 2002 and in 04 I found out I had sleep apnea. It was downhill fast from there. But with my recent surgery in Feb my health has turned around for the better....now it there was a cure found for Fibromyalgia.
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