Having had my first ever sick day in my working career earlier this month, it was quite a pivotal thing for me.
A am a hard worker and have always had a work ethic drummed into me, so realising I’d have to sit myself wasn’t ideal.
In total I spent five days in my bed, day four I could have worked from home but I was told to take it easy a little bit longer. Not only was I in bed, but I was banned from the kitchen and wasn’t allowed on the couch either in case I spread my germs.
At this point, I’m 99.9% certain it wasn’t the dreaded C, as I think the only infected person in Scotland was up in Dundee – however you can’t be too sure.
I was told I didn’t need to self-isolate as I had symptoms that weren’t typical – nevertheless I have cut down the time I spend with others and have stopped any unnecessary shopping trips. My online banking sure has taken a tanking though.
I do want to address my thoughts on this whole issue separately, so this post is simply to share my coping mechanisms with you.
Sleep
I’d never slept so much in my whole life and honestly I felt so much better for it, yeah my body still felt like I’d had a doing – but you cant underestimate the benefit of a good old snooze. I think I was getting in around 18 hours a day which impressed even me.
Hankies
NOT kitchen roll. Like proper packets of hankies – be gentle on the old schnozz, even treat yourself to some Vaseline to stop it getting sore. This has been an eye opener. Also, prepare for a nosebleed or two, just to make things worse.
Throat Lozenges
They don’t have to be the super expensive brand, I woke up on Day 2/3 (the days all rolled into one) and Simon had bought me a care package from Lidl with their lemon and honey ones; they’re fab for getting a wee bit of relief on your throat but also they taste super nice.
A Mog
I’ll be honest, this may be a difficult one if you don’t already have a cat, but cute animal videos might help? Izzy wouldn’t come near me while I was super ill but she’s starting to edge closer to me as the days go on. It’s nice to have a small furry thing standing on your chest while you try to nap. (it’s not.)
Some animal rescue centres are desperate for foster homes right now, and if you have 12 weeks to keep out the road, why not spend it puppy training?
Get some tunes on
I’m not talking your usual weekend playlist, but I’ve discovered that if I’m in bed and have music on I’ll be asleep pretty much instantly. Get your Snow Patrol on the smart speaker and chill oot.
When you’re sick it’s your god-given right to throw fashion and beauty out the window. If all you manage is a quick swipe of micellar water across your mush twice a day? It’s better than nothing.