Sucky being Sicky

Oh my god. What a week this has been.

IK came home on Monday with the worst fever, cough, flu, sore throat. Because my worst nightmare is getting a sore throat in London (horrid past experience when I first arrived here - no GP i.e. free NHS consultation, would prescribe me antibiotics despite having an inflamed throat for > 1 week, then paid private health care at £50 per 15 min consultation and hey presto - a course of antibiotics prescribed immediately wtf), I made sure IK and I slept in separate rooms and not breathe the same air.

Despite taking the necessary precautions, I woke up Wednesday morning with exactly that - a sore throat. After all that clever scheming - if I was in kitchen, he would be in his room, if he was in living room, I’d be confined to my room, vice versa – I still got infected.

I was obviously very hysterical at 6 am that morning when I awoke with the rough feeling in my throat, I immediately called IK on the mobile (we slept in different rooms remember?) and blamed IK for giving this to me. Very cruel of me but this is a fact that whatever virus he contracts from his stupid office-mates, he will ultimately pass it on to me, every single time I kid you not. Hence the abuse he received at six bl**dy a.m.

All I could do was nurse the pain in my throat and the fever with lots of water and occasionally the odd honey and lemon mixture to soothe the soreness - as advised by all the usel*ss free NHS GPs in London. Did I mention how much I hate getting sick here?

We were both bed ridden for two days. I could not eat much, forced myself to swallow two slices of bread with a cheese slice for all three meals. I was so weak I was in bed 24/7. IK was a little better off than me as he had his course of antibiotics, paracetamol and cough drops to mask all his pain.

It was truly the worse feeling ever - being ill, with no medication, no one fit enough to care for you, being quarantined with nobody to talk to; needless to say they were the two longest days of my life.

Today despite not feeling 100%, I had to get back to work. I stress whenever I am away from the office – stress about the deadlines I must meet, agonize about the emails mounting up (2 days away from the office and I had to sieve through 90 odd emails today), fret about the work I have not completed, get anxious speculating the auditors' requests etc. Yes I lose sleep whenever I am away from work. I cannot help it, I am not the most relaxed and easy-going person around.

First half at work was not so good but I felt better after lunch and you know what, we both agreed that being out (no doubt it was the office and not Hyde Park) did do us both some good. Being cooped up at home and confined to the bedroom, for two days, me and four, him, was really depressing and that must have not helped with the recovery process.

Right now I am feel ing a whole lot better. Just in time to welcome the weekend. Can't say the same for IK though, he is still feverish and coughing like a demon.