Winter Gluck

The title does not do the subject justice. For those of you unfamiliar with Illinois winters, changing weather patterns, holiday congestion and all the rest, let's just say social interaction under such conditions can be perilous. Healthwise.

I think it started with the Live Nativity at the Warrenville Trinity Lutheran Church. Outdoors with a live cast - animals and persons. The weather was brisk – 24 degrees F, and a breeze of 6 miles per hour. Body heat quickly dissipated.

We did two performances and then called it a day. Sunday, we repeated the program – two performances, but the weather was only 31 degrees F and no wind.

The next day I noticed a scratchy throat. I thought I had injured it with a piece of crispy toast, but that proved wrong. I had a sore throat which I did not wish to admit. The entire family had told me not to do the Live Nativity. I have lung and cardiac issues and cold does not help the condition.

I did it anyway. Everyone else had been participating in this tradition for 23 years. A fun event and one with deep meaning for many. If my colleagues could do it, I reasoned I could as well.

By Tuesday I was sick by 2 pm. Clearly recognized symptoms. Fever, lung congestion, body aches, coughing fits that wracked the gut, then vomiting. I cancelled my schedule through Wednesday with options for the rest of the week. I soon took those options. Maybe with 6 days of rest and quiet I could recover faster and with less angst.

Wednesday, we managed to get a doctor’s appointment. She told us this was the flu on top of bronchitis and all the rest. Now it’s Thursday. I went to bed before 7 pm last night, arose at 6:15 am. Those who know me would recognize how odd that time pattern is. In bed by 8:30; up at 5, or earlier. Like clockwork.

Back to the gluck. That term is defined by hawking up yellow glop from the lungs, blowing it out of your nose as well, coughing fits that move the gluck around so it can be disposed of, nose blowing that hurts almost as much as coughing. Abdominal flab posing as muscle, ache worse than if they were muscle! All in all, not a nice set of symptoms.

At least we have pills and quiet. Out today for a chest X-ray, but other than that, we are in for the day.

This morning my only personal commitment is writing this blog. I have never missed a blog posting; late maybe, but here I am to speak with you! If you are sensitive about gluck, you probably would have wished I hadn’t written this blog.

Well, this is the real world in Illinois, USA in the winter. Not all pleasant. Challenging, yes.

For you I wish you a winter season free of gluck. Me? I’m in it now for the duration. Once its done, I won’t get another visit of it for 2 or three years. Now, just to get it over with before family Christmas commitments. You know how that is!

December 14, 2017

PS: I would be terribly remiss if I didn’t wish my son John a happy birthday! He’ll be surprised I remembered. I usually get his and his sister’s dates reversed. Her birthday is November 8^th; His is December 14^th. Now, if I have that wrong, again! You will hear about it in this space.

Happy Birthday, John!