An Oxymoron of Huge Proportions

I am in day four of being sick. And it has been h-e-double-hockey sticks.

I’ve mentioned before that I have sinus problems. Last year, I finally met with a surgeon here in Chicago who found that I have a deviated septum – no big deal – and also really, really narrow sinus passages. The combination of these two things mean that any time a virus or cold bug gets into my system, it has very little chance of getting out, so to speak. It isn’t particularly dramatic, but it makes me more susceptible to head colds and sinus infections than almost anyone I know.

Sadly, my job at the time never allowed me the time to have the surgery, despite having scheduled it twice. I should have had it this year, I know, but a new job and then getting pregnant meant no surgery on my head.

So Tuesday I woke up and, pretty much aside from a multitude of showers, bathroom trips and walks to the kitchen for hot water and 7Up refills, haven’t left the bed. It began with awful nausea, and not the kind I had in the first trimester, and went haywire in my head from there. There were two of these bugs floating around my office the past two weeks – stomach and cold varieties – and so I suppose it only stood to reason that the lady with the compromised immune system would pick these up. Just the same, I was woefully unprepared for how horribly this would knock me on my behind.

1) I can’t take any of the antibiotics that I have in the past to knock out the sinus infection. I already have to take a high dosage of an ultra-powerful antibiotic as it is, and because of that I tend to shy away from it unless it’s absolutely necessary. This would have been an “absolutely necessary” occasion.

2) I’m already having problems finding comfortable sleep positions, and having sinus problems only makes achieving this an exercise in futility. Last night I slept for about 20-minute stretches every hour.

3) I also can’t take any of the OTC’s that usually help. I got a hold of my doctor today, who OK’d Tylenol Cold, and that hasn’t done me a lick of good. Which shouldn’t surprise me since, you know, see #1 above. The only thing that seems to help is the aforementioned hot shower. I swear, I’m going to shrivel to a prune.

I knew that pregnant ladies catch colds easily, but honestly I had no idea that the cold would feel like the worst cold ever. “Pregnant woman’s immune system” is right up there with “jumbo shrimp,” people. But again I maintain that for all of my complaining, I’m so fortunate. I have a job that’s understanding and supportive. I can work from home and have all week. I don’t have to make the choice, and for that I’m forever grateful. I still miss work, though. It’s a blessing and a luxury that I can work from home, but I prefer to go into the office.

I have this whole post brewing about women and parenting and choices and not being a total asshole to each other, but it’s going to have to be on hold for the time being, or at least until I can breathe freely again. For now, I’m off to fetch another cool damp towel and blow my nose.