With Time, We All Heal
I was exactly one day away from returning home from a work trip to Las Vegas when I was struck, and I do mean struck, by influenza. (And for those of you asking yourself right now if I was vaccinated, yes, I was.)
The flu is no joke. If you feel any of the symptoms, see your doctor immediately and get tested. Get treated early if you have it. I was fortunate to receive medication within the critical window, but was still so wiped out, I couldn’t travel on my scheduled date. When I shared the news with my wife that I was infected, we agreed it was best for me to return home and check into a local hotel to stay quarantined. You read that right. We chose my physical removal from the home. Why? I’ve got two toddlers that share infectious diseases like their toys, and my wife who goes down hard for small colds. It was me, the guy with the iron immune system, that needed to be sidelined.
So what did it teach me? That sick time is no time. It’s a mandated lie-around-and-do-nothing time because your body permits nothing else. It means letting a day or two or three pass without you in it. It means watching the rain fall, the traffic stall, the clock at 3 AM, all while your bones ache and your head cooks.
But that’s just the physical feelings. The more profound sensation is the loss of time with loved ones. In quarantine, I had grown incredibly lonely and homesick. I was prone to bursts of hysterical laughter and weeping. I was cranky. Hungry. Exhausted.
As the fog cleared in my head, so returned my desire to read, write, and respond to things. It all came back over time. I realized my bout with the flu pales in comparison to the myriad health challenges others might be facing. For those who are, I pray Godspeed. With time, we all heal. We all get to go back home at some point, to savor in the time we all need for optimal health.
◊♦◊
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash