It sucks to be sick. Literally.

It sucks to be sick. Literally.

It sucks the breath right out of your lungs.  It sucks the taste from your throat.  It sucks the olfactory nerves from your nose.  It sucks the energy from your muscles.  It sucks the food related survival instincts from your stomach; and if you defy your stomach and eat anyway, it is determined to punish you by sucking everything out in way that prohibits conversation.  And it sucks brain cells from your brain.

I, for one, cannot afford to lose too many more brain cells… but as I sat around being sick the past few days, I could feel my brain cells falling right out of my head.  It all started with those insidious muscle aches.  You know the ones… in your neck and back… the ones you choose to ignore because you convince yourself that you cannot be getting sick.  Then you begin to sneeze.  And cough.  But why pay too much attention to these minor details when, after all, you’ve already convinced yourself that you cannot be sick.  Because no, that would suck all of the above right out of you.  So you go along on your way, especially during the holidays, not being sick when, in fact, your lungs and throat and nose and muscles have completely shut down.

That’s when your stomach and head decide to join in on the suckfest.  Oh, yes.  Because even if you can feign indifference to the lungs, throat, nose and muscles… the stomach and head can hold you hostage in less than a anatomical moment.

This is when it sucks minutes and hours and days from your very life. I figure I lost of total of 96 hours or so… uncountable minutes.  4 whole days.  I think of my stomach and my head as my very, very good friends, so it is shocking to me when they fall to peer pressure.  Suck pressure, so to speak.

But anyway… if there is any light in all the suckiness of being sick, it is the content and wonder and miracle of life that emerges when the blanket of sickness is thrown off.  It is the feeling of self-sufficiency and possibility and hope that recovery restores to us.  I have found that if I dislike the feeling of helplessness in illness… I love the feeling of helpfulness when I am well.  Life offers contrasts, and from those contrasts we must learn much.  And in sickness, we are given the gift of empathy.  We are given a key to understand all the suckiness of being sick and the patience to help others convalesce.

All in all, I am very happy to be on the mend… and I have my patient, wonderful, loving husband to thank for all the gingerale, Gatorade, Lipton’s soup, toast, Saltines and hugs and kisses that so restored my health.

I think I have been fully reminded, in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “We forget ourselves and our destines in health, and the chief use of temporary sickness is to remind us of these concerns.”  (NOTE TO SELF:  Not that I want to be sick again.  No. No.  That would just suck. Literally.)

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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6 Comments

  1. 12.3.09

    Oh dear Sharon, I have been worrying about you this week, like you did me when I was sick. I missed you soooooo much! I am so glad you are on the mends. This was the best Suckiest post I’ve ever read…My hubby had it too this week right along with you.

  2. 12.3.09
    Erin said:

    Oh, Sharon, we were apparently sickie twins. I was horribly sick Sunday and Monday, so that I couldn’t get out of bed. Tuesday I was finally up, but mostly just sat and stared while sipping my Gatorade. It was so frustrating because the only contact I had with the boys was every few hours when Shane would put Tommy in bed next to me so I could feed him. I missed them so much and just felt so awful and angry at the situation.

  3. 12.3.09

    I read this as I sit here with horribly stuffed up head, clogged nose, headache and sore throat, so I know exactly where you’re coming from. I’m glad you’re feeling better! Hope I will be soon too. 🙂

  4. 12.3.09
    Connie said:

    Sharon, I’m so happy to see you are on the mend. When you are this sick, you don’t think you will EVER feel good again, do you?
    Isn’t it wonderful when you do?
    We all missed you.
    Welcome back.

  5. 12.5.09
    Heather said:

    Oh no, Sharon! I’m glad you’re back up and running. I have missed you so! I’ll be back up to speed soon….just need a little more sleep 🙂

  6. 12.5.09

    I’ve been worried about you. Glad to hear you are on the mend. You are so right, being sick totally sucks! Welcome back.

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