Guess I have some explaining to do huh? Well let me first say that I've have missed blogging desperately and moreover reading blogs. I've also missed all of you, my readers! Both of you! Just kidding ;) Anyway, let me explain...
2013 started off well enough with the Hangover Classic (is it too late to do a race report?) and some bike riding. It promptly took a sharp turn and in retrospect, it's really my fault. On the 7th I started graduate school. It was also the week of our black tie gala at work which guaranteed at LEAST a 50 hour work week. As of the 14th I started working very part time (15 hours per week...roughly) but before that it was nonstop. Graduate school (wouldn't you know it) starts before it really starts so I was already doing some readings in anticipation for a paper I had to write. It was a bad call. Also at some point during that week it was quite warm. Warm enough that my windows were open. In general, regardless of circumstances, after the first day or two of sleeping with my window open I get a sore throat. It's just my thing. So when I had one on Wednesday it was really no big deal. I continued to work a lot and stay up late reading. I also broke a Cardinal rule (at least to me). I stopped eating almost entirely. Stressed for the first time since undergrad (when I worked perhaps even more that I did this past week but for an extended period) I completely abandoned my healthy living habits that I've always preached have been what's kept me healthy. Eating often, eating fresh. I ate nothing except for a granola bar hear and some crackers there. The Colonel made a couple of dinners, one of which I rejected completely and nibbled at the others. But there wasn't a single piece of fruit, no vegetables, very little grains or pasta, no snacks, no peanut butter on waffles, nothing. By Saturday (the day of the gala) I was fully exhausted and feeling not so great. 15 work hours later I was finally heading home and feeling terrible but that's also what happens when you work nonstop for 15 hours so I paid it no mind. Sunday I woke up feeling roughed up as expected and luckily had a day off. I tucked myself in on the couch and worked. And watched football! I wrote my paper, read my books, outlined chapters and was essentially awesome all from my half reclined position on the couch. It was magical. Except that I was freezing, had a fever, a pounding headache, sore throat and persistent cough. Yesterday I didn't feel any better. I also got up in the middle of the night with a bathroom emergency. I never ever ever have intestinal issues. Yes I get the runner bum from time to time but I'm about as regular as the sun. So being up before 6 am in the bathroom instead of working out was foreign. No other details are needed about that experience. Today I actually felt a bit better but was having a lot more symptoms. Yesterday I just needed a break halfway through the day and then I sort of recovered enough to make it through class. But right after I was down for the count all night. This morning I was full on sore throat, runny nose, sinus pressure, coughing, congestion and general yuck. It's persisted all day. Because of that I took some mucinex (for what might be the first time in my life...seriously...) bought some tissues and went to school today. I've been drinking my teas but it's almost like it was too late. This evening, mere moments ago I had another bathroom issue. WTF right? I was attempting to eat some crackers because I thought my stomach gurgling was hungry. It was not.
There's a lesson here kids. And the lesson is living well. When you make the decision to live well, you have to do it at all times. You have to be able to eat and take care of yourself during stressful times; particularly during stressful times. I'm not sure what it is that's causing how I'm feeling right now. I think it's a combination. I'm back at school and haven't been in such a large public institution since undergrad really. The last time I was truly sick was in Dallas when I worked in a 36 floor downtown high rise building with literally thousands of employees, I was eating terribly, and (you guessed it) I was stressed. I didn't know if I was going to stay in Dallas or move back "home" and most importantly, I had no job. I was applying for jobs nonstop but not hearing much. There was a lot of post-grad turmoil. Since then even when I was working it was just work, no big deal. Not working and school and blah blah blah. This past week taught me that you can NOT take your health for granted. You can't take your body for granted. Maybe this is what it finally took for me to slow the fuck down and relax again. I haven't worked out in over 10 days because at first I was literally busy and soon after, kinda sick. I still haven't eaten. I'm afraid to. But I think I need to get some vegetable broth in my system. Maybe even homemade. My body isn't used to this level of stress. It isn't used to this lack of activity. It isn't used to the lack of food or the poor quality of those foods. Most of all, it isn't used to all of this medicine I've been pumping myself full of. Let this be a lesson to you all, when you choose to live well, it's living well for life. Not just when it's convenient or easy.
Tonight I'm not doing any more homework. I'm not doing anything but resting and blogging. This is exactly what my body needs and it quickly reminded me that it always wins even if it has to take what it wants.
Not sure when I'll be back, but let me know what you've been up to!
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