The Worst Thing About Being Sick Is The Know-It-Alls

I've been sick since Friday night and it's been miserable. I couldn't finish a 26 mile training run on Saturday, I missed out on a fun babyshower, I had to cancel my plans to go to Santa Barbara for a couple of days, and I couldn't even get up and walk to the kitchen to make ginger tea without feeling like I was going to pass out.

But you know what the worst is? Folks who feel the need to self-righteously share with me that they never get sick because they take their vitamins, have a rigorous exercise regimen, or they're vegan.

I know they mean well but it is heck of annoying when people get all smug about their life choices and say they're the reason why they haven't had the flu in four years. 

I am all for being healthy. I take vitamins and exercise. I'm thisclose to being vegan. I don't drink. I don't smoke...but some people feel the need to act like I got the flu--or whatever the heck I have--because I'm sucking down Twinkies and loafing on the sofa watching Keeping up With the Kardashians. That can make anybody feel sick, but for real, I have the kind of sick that comes along when you have:

a. two germy kids who have recently been sick.
b. co-workers who have been sick.
c. a husband who has been sick and comes home and coughs all over me
d. It's FREAKING FLU SEASON!

If you have tips for how to ease the symptoms: aching body, severe headache, horrible sore throat, and pure exhaustion--share away. Please share. I've sucked down enough NyQuil, DayQuil, Theraflu, garlic, ginger, and liquids to cure a cow.

If you want to pontificate to someone else about why you NEVER get sick, just stop. All you need to do is make your mouth say, "I hope you feel better soon."

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Comments

Unknown said…
Never get sick? Sounds like Confirmation bias http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias .
dolphyngyrl said…
The last time I was sick, Mucinex helped a lot. Just get plain, you don't need the DM and whatever other kinds they have I hope you feel better soon!

Strangely, it seems tk me that, when I'm sick, what I hear about most often is everyone else someone knows and how long that person was sick when they caught what I have.
Liz Dwyer said…
J,
Agreed. It DOES sound like confirmation bias!

Dolphyngyrl,
Good to know. I've never tried that particular medicine before. Yeah, everyone I know who has been sick has been sick off and on for weeks. What I've heard I should expect is to get a little better and then rebound and get worse. I'm trying to avoid the rebound. Maybe the Mucinex will help.
Unknown said…
ha ha, I will share this with my sister! whenever she gets sick I do just this to her and I KNOW she wants to say BLAHBLAHBLAH but is too sick to do it... I just like pissing her off of course because its my job!!!

Feel better LIZ!! <3
Marlo said…
I hope you feel better soon! Both of my kids have bronchitis and one has an ear infection as well. I can feel myself getting sick now.

You didn't say whether the headache is from full sinuses, but if there is a lot of junk in there, using a neti pot or sinus rinse bottle is immensely helpful. It needs to be used with distilled water and salt. I think it's a pretty disgusting process, but it helps clear things out, relieves pressure and makes breathing easier. Using one as you feel yourself getting sick can make things so much better too.
nick said…
I'm one of those irritating bastards who hardly ever gets flu or colds and has a tendency to act self-righteous if I don't shut my stupid mouth. So I'll keep it shut except to say, I hope you feel better very soon! Flu is horrible.
Doodling said…
I had pneumonia last year, so I know how you feel. It might help to hang your head over a bowl of hot water - meds only do so much when you're really sick. Hope you feel better!
Sundry said…
Hope you're giving yourself some breaks while sick. You work so hard and train so hard!
Anonymous said…
Euuuuuuuuuuw I love your blog but this picture gives me goosebumps. There are people like me who are really intolerant to such images. It makes our skin crawl. Lord have mercy I feel itchy from seeing that.
Ian Lidster said…
I do hope you're feeling better now. The 2nd worst thing about you being sick is that you posted this on my birthday. Oh well, you probably wouldn't have felt up to cake and ice cream.
Liz Dwyer said…
Hey Everybody -- Well, I'm finally out from under my sickness rock. It was awful. Really wiped me out.

Now I can become that annoying person I complained about for someone else! ;)

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