Due to a veritable perfect storm of events, like being super busy and stressed out, flying while sick, and apparently contracting a superbug, I have been out for the count for almost a week and a half. It started as a massive, head-crushing headache, which progressed to vicious head cold and sinus infection, and then I suddenly had no voice as of last Saturday.
I have missed almost an entire week of work, aside from an ill-fated attempt to go in on Tuesday. I am not sure that sickness has ever caused me to miss a week of anything, so this was a big deal. As of today (Sunday, over a week later), I still have no voice, although I'm definitely on the road to recovery with everything else. The doctor has suggested total vocal rest to speed my recovery, which is important, because I am supposed to give a talk at a conference on Thursday! I really hope that my voice will recover in time.
Being confined to my flat, by myself, and not even able to talk for almost 10 days has been really difficult. It's a good thing I'm an introvert, because I could handle the solitude better than otherwise. Being sick in a foreign country is not easy. Aside from just being alone, the drugs all have different names, and you usually have to go to multiple stores to get all of the supplies that you might want. Going to doctor is also an ordeal, as they really hesitate to prescribe anything (good, I think, in general), but hard when what you really need is a prescription. I had two appointments last week before they would give my anything useful, besides Tylenol.
But, thankfully, I am on the upswing, and I leave for my conference in Ticino tomorrow. After the conference, I'm planning to stay the weekend with my dear friend Stefanie and her family. I'm so looking forward to seeing them! (Or anyone, for that matter.)
Being sick has not been without its funny moments, though. Yesterday, I went into a pharmacy and "whispered" my question to the pharmacist, because that's all I could do. She responded also in a whisper (must've been a sympathy reflex?), and we proceeded to have a 5-minute whisper conversation. It was pretty hilarious!
Hopefully, once I get back from the conference and things calm down a little I'll be able to get caught up on my trip to London and any other adventures I have in the meantime. I'm so looking forward to getting back to normal!
I have missed almost an entire week of work, aside from an ill-fated attempt to go in on Tuesday. I am not sure that sickness has ever caused me to miss a week of anything, so this was a big deal. As of today (Sunday, over a week later), I still have no voice, although I'm definitely on the road to recovery with everything else. The doctor has suggested total vocal rest to speed my recovery, which is important, because I am supposed to give a talk at a conference on Thursday! I really hope that my voice will recover in time.
Being confined to my flat, by myself, and not even able to talk for almost 10 days has been really difficult. It's a good thing I'm an introvert, because I could handle the solitude better than otherwise. Being sick in a foreign country is not easy. Aside from just being alone, the drugs all have different names, and you usually have to go to multiple stores to get all of the supplies that you might want. Going to doctor is also an ordeal, as they really hesitate to prescribe anything (good, I think, in general), but hard when what you really need is a prescription. I had two appointments last week before they would give my anything useful, besides Tylenol.
But, thankfully, I am on the upswing, and I leave for my conference in Ticino tomorrow. After the conference, I'm planning to stay the weekend with my dear friend Stefanie and her family. I'm so looking forward to seeing them! (Or anyone, for that matter.)
Being sick has not been without its funny moments, though. Yesterday, I went into a pharmacy and "whispered" my question to the pharmacist, because that's all I could do. She responded also in a whisper (must've been a sympathy reflex?), and we proceeded to have a 5-minute whisper conversation. It was pretty hilarious!
Hopefully, once I get back from the conference and things calm down a little I'll be able to get caught up on my trip to London and any other adventures I have in the meantime. I'm so looking forward to getting back to normal!
