Other people get hangovers on New Year's Day.
I woke up with a fever that didn't break for three days. Before I finished sweating out one bout, I'd start to shiver with the next. It went as high as 39.9C (104 for you Imperialists) and then, when it started to fall, it decided not to stop at 37, which is normal and good, but down to 36.2 (97F)
The doctor came 'round and disagreed with me when I said I was dying. He did say I have a viral infection that was the start of the 'flu or perhaps, like a cherry on top, bronchitis. He prescribed an antibiotic and told me to carry on with my 'fever therapy' - that is, two extra strength Tylenol every few hours, and about 6 pajama and sheet changes a day, because I'd soak 'em through.
I became so weak, my sister had to start helping me change my clothes. Though she's my sister, I've always been modest about showing much skin in front of her. I generally don't let anyone but random strangers see me naked. But at that point, I was too sick to care. She dressed me, undressed me, and wiped me down in between.
Then came the antibiotics. Giant horse-pill things that did well to maim the bug and break the fever and help me maintain at least a little bit of lucidity. Except, now, what I eat has to be classified by gross food intake and net food intake. The 'net' amount, you see, is what I'm actually able to keep down. Yesterday, it was about 3 quarters of a cup of Jell-o. The 'gross' is gross indeed.
Happy New Year, everyone. Try to keep you food down.
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