(Okay, maybe the time is not exactly now… Maybe it is after you are healthy enough to stand up!)

I got hit really hard by a horrendous stomach virus on Monday! I felt tired during the day, but that is normal for me, and I thought it was probably due to not having eaten recently enough. By the early evening, my intestines were hurting and I wondered why. (That is also not unusual, but it seemed to be at that moment). After I ate my dinner, I lied down on the couch, hoping that would help restore my energy and give my intestines time to feel better. However, the longer I stayed, the worse I felt. I definitely didn’t feel like doing any yoga. The pain was increasing and I wondered if my period was coming extra early. I decided I better check and take some ibuprofen if so. First, I tried washing my face. As I stood at the sink, I quickly felt weaker and weaker. I got very hot and started sweating. I suddenly felt like I had to eliminate everything in my body through both ends at once. I wanted to finish washing my face first, but couldn’t. I had no energy (which was terrifying). What was happening to me? Everything was starting to go black from the top of my head down. I sat down and then felt compelled to vomit, so I tore open the shower curtain and threw up most of my dinner. A few seconds later, I threw up again, and then again. I felt so weak that I thought I was going to have to lie down on the bathroom floor. I couldn’t make it to the carpet. Somehow, I managed to rinse out my mouth and then get to my couch. For the next 2 hours, I could not warm up. I had my apartment temperature at 70, my space heater on twice as high as normal, lots of layers on, and two blankets over me. After a long time, I managed to get up and boil a pot of water to make a cup of tea, but I could barely hold the mug. I had no strength in my body. I tried to walk to the dining room to get my mostly empty glass of water to have beside my bed, but the effort was too monumental. My head felt black and my body was dizzy when I tried to stand. There was no possibility of brushing my teeth. It took all the energy I had to make it from my couch to my bed. I had to rest before I could gather enough energy to turn out the light. Then, I had to prop my head up on extra pillows so I wouldn’t vomit again.
I can’t remember ever feeling so weak in my life! It took me until close to 3pm the next day to take my first few sips of water. I had lost several pounds in just a few moments. I ate two pieces of gluten free toast and some ginger Kombucha in the late afternoon, and then half a bowl of miso soup at night. (Eating takes a lot of effort and I still didn’t have the strength!). I also managed to clean up the shower the best I could, which was not an easy job!. Other than that, I essentially slept for nearly 41 hours until I had to get up and get myself ready to teach 2 yoga classes in Cambridge!
That day, I added some yogurt to my meals of miso soup and toast, but since then, anything else that I attempt to eat still causes my stomach to hurt! (My poor, poor digestive system has been through the ringer these past two years!!) I am so glad I cancelled the surgery I was going to have today. I was feeling like it was a bad idea to rush into surgery with a doctor I know nothing about and who certainly doesn’t have the time of day for me, and it is also not a smart thing to do when there is no one to drive you to/ from the hospital- never mind help you out afterwards!

I was doing pretty well on my New Year’s intentions until I got hit by that bug from out of nowhere! (I rarely get stomach viruses- usually just bad colds). I felt weaker than the men in ‘UnBroken’! I couldn’t even stand up! And it was a total surprise when a few thoughts went through my head before I went to bed on Tuesday night! (I had been in a near comatose state for the previous 27 hours). And even more surprised when I had my first dream last night!

Tomorrow, I hope to return to all of the things I started at the beginning of the month! Back to the world of the living!