Column: The Flu

It’s never fun to get the flu, and it is even worse when it hits you like a Conor McGregor left on your busiest day of the week.

This was certainly the case last week when I struggled mightily and am still unsure how I got both of the newspapers sent to the printer. While I think the absolute biggest stinker of a time to get the flu would be on vacation, a Monday for me is pretty close to being stuck in a tiny bathroom on a cruise ship while the rest of those on board have a ton of fun.

I had been pretty lucky to not have been sick for a while but when I woke up Sunday morning, I knew I was in for a rough couple of days. It started with congestion and aches and only got worse as the day progressed. I attempted to watch some NFL playoff games but all I wanted to do was go to bed and I did at 8 p.m. I knew it was going to get worse, so I figured I needed as much rest as possible.

When I woke up Monday there was no way I was going to work. I had not been able to sleep most of the night and was sweating like I had just run the Boston Marathon. The cats knew something was up and both slept on top of me all night. I appreciated they cared but it was a little awkward trying to toss and turn with them positioned where they were.

After getting up at 6:30 I decided I was going right back to bed. I had the chills, then I was hot, I had a stupid dry cough that wasn’t producing anything, and it felt like I had a broken rib when I coughed, there was no way I was going to go to work. Then I realized it was my busiest day of the week and I had to show up.

I managed to garner enough strength to get into some pajamas and took a blanket with me into the car where it was hot, cold, hot and then cold. I stopped at the store to get cold medicine and am sure I looked like a zombie from the Walking Dead as I strolled down the aisle trying to find the right combination of supplies that would get me through the day.

I somehow managed to write about six stories and build a lot of pages, but I don’t really remember any of it. Between the fever and medicine, I’m not quite sure if any of it made sense, but I wasn’t too far behind and that was a plus.

I had been really excited about the National Championship game that night between LSU and Clemson but only made it to halftime. I tried to eat but it didn’t taste, and the chills made me want to climb under 457 blankets and go to bed, which I did although the number of blankets might have been a little under 457.

When I managed to get to work Tuesday I felt a little bit better, but that was until I realized I still had four stories to write and get the rest of the papers built to send to the printers by around 2 p.m.

It was another rough day that I don’t have much recollection of, but I only managed to be two hours behind, so I was pretty proud of myself.

I thought of staying home for the morning on Wednesday to get as much rest as possible but felt a little bit better so I decided to come in. That was a bad idea. The moment I walked in the door the stomach problems that I had not had the last couple days suddenly hit and I spent the morning in the bathroom and not much work was completed.

I started to feel better Friday and while not 100 percent, this week has been a lot easier.

I was pretty proud to be able to get out both of the papers, I just wish I would have remembered writing the stories and building the pages, but the flu doesn’t really pick the days that are convenient for you when it arrives. And I have to remember I wasn’t on a cruise ship.