My family has the downtown going-arounds again. Apparently just thinking about all the home improvement possibilities1 was enough to start the avalanche that has so far put us out of commission for nearly a week. It is feeling like a monthly thing, but this round is particularly wretched. I have never been sick this many times in a year, even when the kids were in elementary school. We receive texts from friends that they are in the same boat.
It takes so much energy to purge an illness, our muscles strained from coughing, sleep disturbed by pain, nightmares, and needy cats. I have lived on a rollout futon in the living room because the window has a better view and the tv is there, and the crawl to the kitchen is easier. I moved my essential meds next to the futon and listened to the wind howling outside, in and out of fever, guarded by a beautiful round dust mop of tuxedo cat who went two whole days without brushing.
Ongoing chills swoop like the murmuration of starlings. I look up chills and learn that the starlings are cytokines, which are supposed to wake up the immune system, and prostaglandin, which looks too complicated for me to read about in this state. They come and go so often that I worry my immune system will turn on me again.
I don’t know what words to put in google to search for what happens if you have long covid and catch the going arounds. What I do know is what I am doing is not working that great, some ailments are aggressive and there’s not much to do but try to be comfortable, remember not to stand up too fast, take meds on time, stay hydrated, sleep, and hope it passes.
I woke up to find I have a few new subscribers, and that was nice. Welcome — please don’t base your impression of my writing on my sick rambling. I think this is the most I can type before passing out, so goodnight. Best of health to y’all, and protect yourself from whatever is going around where you are. If you want to read one of my better posts, I like this one:
the most dangerous place on the most hospitable planet
In a universe we see in sharper focus now, with telescopes pointed out into infinity from orbit, sharpening details reveal places we can only appreciate from afar, places we can never survive in our present vulnerable form, places that can never provide us with air, sustenance, water, and shelter.
the fatal net
Art is the fatal net which catches these strange moments on the wing like mysterious butterflies, fleeing the innocence and distraction of common men. ~ Giorgio de Chirico What to do with this fresh new year, full of promise and possibility? Besides keep up with all the covid news because I am way ahead of some of the reports and have started death cleani…
in this letter I go on and on about all the home improvement projects we’re planning and considering. The very next day (Jan 4) we got sick. Never tell the universe your plans I guess.