We feel good.  We’re relatively healthy.  Life is good.

So, then… All of a Sudden… Oh, my!  You get sick!?

What caused this?

Everyone says, oh, it’s a bug going around… Everyone is getting it.

Hmmm….

*******

Last week, I worked on Monday, felt fine.  Monday evening before bedtime, I started feeling ”ucky”.  Felt bloated… full… tummy hurting slightly… I went ahead and went to bed, feeling pretty uncomfortable.

After a few minutes, I couldn’t keep anything down.  Every hour to 1-½ hours I experienced it all anew.  All night long.  And until after 8 the next morning.  I don’t usually “throw up”.  Maybe ten times or so in my whole life.  I don’t usually “catch” the “bugs going around”.  It was terrible.

Our dog… she couldn’t understand.  The first 3-4 times, she would bark (loudly) at my husband, then come to me; she kept going back and forth and barking at him… why wasn’t he Helping me… and fixing this!!  She gave that up after a few times, but they both got up with me every single time.

I’m sure it was a terrible night for them, but I couldn’t care.

I would take small sips of 7-up when I could… otherwise, I just couldn’t take anything.

Tuesday I spent going back and forth from the bed to the recliner, sleeping anywhere I landed.  I ate a couple bites of scrambled egg, a bite of toast.  Nope.  I just couldn’t.  I tried some broth.  2-3 bites. 

After a reminder from my daughter, I drank electrolytes in my water, and tried to drink a lot, in between sleeping.  I just mainly slept.  All day.

I didn’t really feel like eating ANYTHING until the second day.  Do you eat Lipton Noodle Soup?  My mom used to fix that for me when I was sick.  And I used to fix it for my own kids.  I LOVE it when I have a cold or feel bad. 

It’s terribly unhealthy for you, by the way—all the additives, and sodium, and those poor noodles that I love.

Farrell fixed me that on the second day.  It felt very healing to my body.  Very comforting.  I was still very, very weak.  It was like there was not an ounce of strength in my body—nor my mind.

I had Lipton Soup again that evening, and again Thursday with some really good pieces of (free-range) chicken added to it.  Ahhhh… The BEST!

Finally Thursday I was stronger and beginning to feel good.  From there I got stronger each day.

I tell this story to bring up the subject: 

What causes things like this??

What do we do when this happens?

And What helps?

********

Well, I don’t know what causes things like this.

I didn’t believe at the time, and I don’t believe now, that I “caught a bug”.  But like my daughter told me… I don’t guess that really matters at this point…

I actually felt at the time, as I’d be talking to God each time I had to get up during that first night, that God allowed me to have this experience to re-focus on my life.  Yeah, strange thinking, I know.  But I felt it during that night. 

And after I got my strength back to a good degree, I began to see my life from a different angle.  A new, fresh view.

How?  I’m not exactly sure, so I can’t say.  I just know I feel different; I feel like I think from a different starting point.  I feel somewhat more relaxed… I feel more confident in some way… I just don’t know how to explain it.

***********

 Anyway, What do we DO when we get sick like this?  Well, hopefully you have someone with you for support.  And the physical help in cooking, helping you, etc.  Without that, I would have probably been sick longer.

I tried to concentrate on things that would give me strength.  Probably the healthiest thing I ate was some broth from some home made beef soup I had already made, in the fridge.  And the electrolyte powder I added to my water. 

But psychologically, the Lipton (extra noodle) Soup lifted my spirits every time I ate it.  And I ate it at least 3 times.

I think we need to concentrate on the best quality food, but we also need to do things that give us the “good feels”.  That lesser-quality soup gave me that, and I believe it was very important for my healing. 

The 7-up wasn’t healthy, but it was something that seemed good and right at the time, and it felt good to my mind and body both.

I didn’t have time to think of taking any medicine, nor did I have anything I felt would help me.  So I didn’t take anything.  I’m taking Vitamin C right now, just to help me get stronger. (Does Vitamin C make you feel stronger?  Well, probably not.  But it does help strengthen your immune system, so that should count?)

So… What should anyone DO?  I think, pay closer attention to our bodies.  We can feel more than we realize, about what our body wants. 

I think just pay attention… ask your body…  play it by ear, and do what you feel your body and soul needs. 

(I do recommend, to strengthen your immune system as much as you can so you won’t be as likely to “catch” those “bugs” going around.  Eat your real food—not junk… a variety of different foods to get various vitamins and minerals; go outside every day; get good sleep; manage your stress.)

(And also, when I feel the slightest of anything coming on, I do take Vitamin C.   And if I start to feel bad, I take 1,000 mg every hour or two.)

(If you need help with any of that, contact me and we can get into the details.)

**********

One thing that has happened since I’ve recovered is that I do not want anything sweet, or anything that seems like my body wouldn’t want it in there.  I don’t feel hungry (until I do…), and I don’t usually feel like eating more than a simple helping of food.  And I feel comfortable with flavored (electrolyte) water, but I only want water to drink.

It’s like something actually “happened” to me.  Made me different in some way.  In a good way.

So it occurred to me, as I’ve been so thankful for feeling good, but also for the whole experience, that it’s ok to feel like bad things can help us.  I truly feel like my life is different, and I’m thankful for it.  All of it.

I’m not saying that’s what we must do.  But I’m saying I think it’s a good thing to be open to.

*****************

I’ve been doing stretches, so my body can get some movement; the stretches have been making me sore.

I’ve been doing small projects at home.  I give it priority at the beginning of the day, and I get it done.

I went back to work Monday, after one week.  It felt good.  Life felt pretty normal.  Life is good.  But still, it’s different.

********

And so it is.  With every week of our life.  It’s different from the last.  We need to make the most of each and every week, regardless of how it seems to happen… and not let any of those weeks feel mundane. 

Fill them up with things you want to do.  Fill them up with things God wants you to do.  Fill them up with People you want to be with—and people God wants you to be with.  And Fill them up with some Quiet Time for you.

Blessings to you… in ALL the happenings in your life.  None of the happenings are random.  Make the MOST of each one.  Good or bad.

Thank you for reading.

… to your Health…

Sharon