I Hate Being Sick

It all started with an intense need to clear my throat. I realize that now, this urge wasn't allergies, it was the hearkening of legitimate illness. I was in Montreal, working, enjoying the icy cold air (man it was cold) and really my other idea was that if it wasn't allergies it was simply the dry air playing hell with my windpipe. It wasn't a tickle or an ache, I just had to keep clearing my throat.

Late night into watching TV it turned into a feeling of sort of being congested, but still not sick.

Morning came and when it was early morning it still felt like "oh not so bad". I was still deeply convinced that dry air (did I mention it was cold, super cold) was drying out my sinuses and so I didn't think I could be actually sick. Then the chills started.

Being sick when you aren't at home is about the worst thing ever. Being sick when you can't go home RIGHT THEN is even worse. At least when you're sitting in your office and a fever spikes up you can usually go home. "Hello boss, sore throat, hella fever, shaking, might die, gotta leave," something like that.When you are in a whole different country though it's not that simple.

I made my way to a pharmacy and acquired a medicine I recognized (YAY CONTAC!) and purchased it. The lady checking me out told me I should go lay down. I apparently looked lovely.

There is nothing like anticipating a 2 and a half hour flight when your entire head feels like it's melting with snot. Then your medicine kicks in and you feel that otherworldly medicine head that so many profess not to cause (lies, all lies). Contac is apparently loaded with enough speed to cause you to feel other worldly as well as full of false energy. My brain knew it was false as my entire body was screaming REST REST NOW as my brain was saying NO LETS GO! I entertained my brain by engaging the passenger next to me who is a physicist collaborating on a paper with someone here at Georgia tech. They are doing something where they say that micro lasers pointed into a molecule in short bursts will illuminate electrons within the molecule.

I was actually stoned enough on cold medicine that I dared to ask what the practical application of this technology to me would be. He had an answer as to why it would matter, beyond just because we can do it, even. However I've lost the thread of what he said. It made sense at the moment. I felt like I had communed with Sheldon and been accepted into his world.

He probably thought I was crazy.

By the time I got home I was deep in the sick, deeper than I had been. I was vaguely aware of my husband covering me up with more blankets in the night as I chattered and shivered in my sleep. I'm now two solid days sick and I'm hoping I get to turn a corner. Such as my throat could stop hurting or maybe I could stop sounding like Kathleen Turner.

Before I left I stopped and picked these up for my kids.

If you don't know what these are, it's ok, they're illegal here. Or they're something. NOT ALLOWED. There probably isn't an actual LAW against them. They are chocolate eggs with toys inside of them. Yes they're a choking hazard. Don't let your kids eat them unsupervised, right? I am excited to have them, I've never seen them in the wild so I think the kids will really think they are fun.

Now, I'm home and sick, have on my jammies and I'm done for at least the next 24 hours. I am hoping that by Sunday I feel like a human again.

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I Hate Being Sick

It all started with an intense need to clear my throat. I realize that now, this urge wasn't allergies, it was the hearkening of legitimate illness. I was in Montreal, working, enjoying the icy cold air (man it was cold) and really my other idea was that if it wasn't allergies it was simply the dry air playing hell with my windpipe. It wasn't a tickle or an ache, I just had to keep clearing my throat.

Late night into watching TV it turned into a feeling of sort of being congested, but still not sick.

Morning came and when it was early morning it still felt like "oh not so bad". I was still deeply convinced that dry air (did I mention it was cold, super cold) was drying out my sinuses and so I didn't think I could be actually sick. Then the chills started.

Being sick when you aren't at home is about the worst thing ever. Being sick when you can't go home RIGHT THEN is even worse. At least when you're sitting in your office and a fever spikes up you can usually go home. "Hello boss, sore throat, hella fever, shaking, might die, gotta leave," something like that.When you are in a whole different country though it's not that simple.

I made my way to a pharmacy and acquired a medicine I recognized (YAY CONTAC!) and purchased it. The lady checking me out told me I should go lay down. I apparently looked lovely.

There is nothing like anticipating a 2 and a half hour flight when your entire head feels like it's melting with snot. Then your medicine kicks in and you feel that otherworldly medicine head that so many profess not to cause (lies, all lies). Contac is apparently loaded with enough speed to cause you to feel other worldly as well as full of false energy. My brain knew it was false as my entire body was screaming REST REST NOW as my brain was saying NO LETS GO! I entertained my brain by engaging the passenger next to me who is a physicist collaborating on a paper with someone here at Georgia tech. They are doing something where they say that micro lasers pointed into a molecule in short bursts will illuminate electrons within the molecule.

I was actually stoned enough on cold medicine that I dared to ask what the practical application of this technology to me would be. He had an answer as to why it would matter, beyond just because we can do it, even. However I've lost the thread of what he said. It made sense at the moment. I felt like I had communed with Sheldon and been accepted into his world.

He probably thought I was crazy.

By the time I got home I was deep in the sick, deeper than I had been. I was vaguely aware of my husband covering me up with more blankets in the night as I chattered and shivered in my sleep. I'm now two solid days sick and I'm hoping I get to turn a corner. Such as my throat could stop hurting or maybe I could stop sounding like Kathleen Turner.

Before I left I stopped and picked these up for my kids.

If you don't know what these are, it's ok, they're illegal here. Or they're something. NOT ALLOWED. There probably isn't an actual LAW against them. They are chocolate eggs with toys inside of them. Yes they're a choking hazard. Don't let your kids eat them unsupervised, right? I am excited to have them, I've never seen them in the wild so I think the kids will really think they are fun.

Now, I'm home and sick, have on my jammies and I'm done for at least the next 24 hours. I am hoping that by Sunday I feel like a human again.

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Meanwhile On the Streets of Montreal

I love going to work in Montreal. The team there is pretty wonderful but the place itself is like no other I've ever been to. I love how welcoming everyone is there and how forgiving they are of terrible efforts to speak French. But mostly I love how beautiful it is.

I love that there is a store just for olive oil. I can't decide if it's funny or wonderful. Mostly it makes me think of SPATULA CITY SPATULA CITY SPATULA CITY.

But it's way more awesome than that, if you can believe it.

Julia asked me if they had apples there, and if so would I bring her one. I did, and some of the best meringue cookies ever made on the planet. They got crushed on the ride home but they were still pretty much the most amazing crumbles of meringue ever.

The idiots at Hertz gave me a big luxury car when in fact what I needed for Montreal parking was a YUGO. I can't being to tell you what a pain in the ass that thing was to park. I will have to like, kick someone's ass if I get a huge car ever again.

I get to see a friend while I'm there and which is awesome and I love working with the team there, it's interesting and different and I have to admit it's all new again in terms of work, which I love.

The biggest problem I had was that my data got shut off bcse of an error and I couldn't find my way to the airport without SIRI. My friend Christa had the brilliant idea of getting a cab to follow to the airport and I hired an UBER car and VOILA - I made my flight.
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Meanwhile On the Streets of Montreal

I love going to work in Montreal. The team there is pretty wonderful but the place itself is like no other I've ever been to. I love how welcoming everyone is there and how forgiving they are of terrible efforts to speak French. But mostly I love how beautiful it is.

I love that there is a store just for olive oil. I can't decide if it's funny or wonderful. Mostly it makes me think of SPATULA CITY SPATULA CITY SPATULA CITY.

But it's way more awesome than that, if you can believe it.

Julia asked me if they had apples there, and if so would I bring her one. I did, and some of the best meringue cookies ever made on the planet. They got crushed on the ride home but they were still pretty much the most amazing crumbles of meringue ever.

The idiots at Hertz gave me a big luxury car when in fact what I needed for Montreal parking was a YUGO. I can't being to tell you what a pain in the ass that thing was to park. I will have to like, kick someone's ass if I get a huge car ever again.

I get to see a friend while I'm there and which is awesome and I love working with the team there, it's interesting and different and I have to admit it's all new again in terms of work, which I love.

The biggest problem I had was that my data got shut off bcse of an error and I couldn't find my way to the airport without SIRI. My friend Christa had the brilliant idea of getting a cab to follow to the airport and I hired an UBER car and VOILA - I made my flight.
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