Encompassing Designs
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Kits
    • Patterns >
      • Christine Little >
        • Signature Designs
        • New Designs
        • Seasonal Designs
      • Deborah Sweet
      • Susan Leslie
      • Patricia Perry
      • William Morris
    • Supplies >
      • Backings
      • Frames
      • Hooks
      • Books
      • Extra
    • Wool >
      • Abrashed
      • Custom Dyeing
      • Dyed Bundles
      • Dyed Curly Mohair
      • Dyed Spots
      • Dyed Values
      • Dyed Yarn
      • Jacquard Dice Dyes
      • Natural & Colours
      • Plaids & Textures
      • Dye Books & Swatches
  • Ordering
  • Blog
  • Workshops
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us

Down for the count and back up again......

3/11/2016

11 Comments

 
I spent Sunday afternoon holding a hot compress to Henri’s butt.  Henri, my cream, miniature poodle is suffering from a swollen anal gland.  My regular vet was unavailable for an after hour call and being through this once before I didn’t think there was any panic in waiting for Monday morning.  The alternative was a drive to the city and although I wouldn’t think twice if it was urgent, I felt Henri could wait and in the meantime I would administer what I know. Warm, Epsom Salt soaked facecloths applied to his back end helped to break the abscess and release some of the fluid from the egg sized swelling.   We kept the abscess hole open all week so it drained fully and I’m happy to say he’s back to normal and there’s only one hole where it should be now. 
 
Then Sunday evening a sense of heaviness enveloped my neck, jaw and nasal area.  It felt like someone had opened the top of my head and poured in liquid plaster and it was beginning to set.  We thought uh-oh, a bad cold was circulating the shop, guess it’s my turn.   By bedtime my brains were pounding out their woe, making for a fitful sleep. 

Misery loves company and Hubby had been experiencing much of the same symptoms but complained less. By Monday we were both swinging on the hinges of death’s door. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but only a bit.  I felt like all my energy had been zapped, and I shuffled when I walked about the house with barely enough strength to left a leg, even the fat of my buttocks ached, what was up with that?   Then after I was down for the count the kicker came.  My left eye had been sore and I stopped using mascara a few days before and it chose now to bubble up with infection so I looked like a dog’s regurgitated breakfast.  I not only felt like crap, now I looked like it.  I’m not a wimp, but this bout of sickness will have the burliest of men crying for their mommy. 

I’ve been living in a phlegm fog and it stripped me of caring about life let alone the shop.  My focus was now on immediate concerns, like will I make it to the bathroom?  Is there any more Kleenex?  What day is this?  Today I am back at work but I’m slower than a three legged turtle and only fit to get through the pile of emails. 

All week I could barely muster the will to chew let alone cook.  Then the  right side of my jaw froze and I could only open my mouth half way before the agonizing pain shot through my head.  Food was tasteless and my face hurt, that took out any desire to eat but I knew I had to feed the cold and my body, keep it sustained through this viral invasion. 

Food preparation was trying and exhausting.  We live in a small town, nothing delivers, not even the pizza joint. If something edible had been brought to the door, no matter how genetically modified, deep fried or MSG saturated, I would have eaten it and licked my plate in appreciation that I didn’t have to make it.  Sometimes when I stood to make a meal, my legs threatened to buckle.  I spent four days on my backside, exhausted three boxes of Kleenex and allowed my hair to look like an accidental oil spill from a tube of Brylcream.   I didn’t care if I died, and if I did, didn’t worry that the mortuary folks would see me in this state.

I barely spoke this week.  Ask hubby...this is an anomaly but he was too sick to appreciate it.  My mouth travels faster than the speed of light.  My tongue is in constant motion, flapping on about this and that, my every thought verbalized to select hearing.   Usually my words travel through one ear and out the other; I suppose that’s the reason he doesn’t remember much that I say so my quietness was probably the strongest indication I was sick and perhaps why I received as much sympathy as I did.  Every time I tried to do something he hobbled over to rescue me.  We were like two old drunks holding each other up, taking turns on the sofa and falling in and out of sleep like babies.    

Yes, it’s been a trip to hell and back.  Teeter tottering through chills and fevers like being on a menopausal carnival ride; zipping up polar fleece to frantically rip it off moments later.  Hubby kept the wood stove fire going and the house was so stinking hot my lips chapped, but I shivered as if standing naked at the North Pole.  I felt like a chicken on a spit, rotating close to the heat and then away from it.   Kicking off the covers through the night and moments later grabbing them tight.    

We managed to get by and no one left the house in a body bag.   But….what I want to know is what the hell was this scourge?  This isn’t my generation’s cold and there's nothing common about it!  This is a newer, meaner, evil virus; the little four letter word “cold” doesn’t quite describe it.  What is this mutation that leaves us in phlegm trenches, wandering if we’ll make it out alive?   Almost drowning in a sea of sometimes blood streaked mucus with the consistency of plasticine?  

I’m lucky.  I don’t punch 9-5 for someone else, so I can stay home a few days without the world coming to an end, no pressure or guilt to pile on the misery. Luckily I have Shane and Deb to hold the reigns and even more lucky, we didn’t all get it at one time.  Shane had this last week, Deb before, so it has run the shops course.  They either have more stamina than I do or I had something different because they showed for work each day.  Saints I say!

I showered this morning and prepared to show my face this afternoon.   I’m drained to the core and feel the dull ache of sickness still hanging on.   Hubby says we’ve gone through the bottom and now are working our way out.   That sounds about right. 
I’m not very attractive right now but still don’t care.   My chapped lips are darker, resembling the pigment of youth when I didn’t need to paint them red to show contrast with my skin.   I suppose that’s some sort of perk.  My eyes are swollen and no bigger than pee holes in the snow.  The infection has abated, leaving only slightly red tinged skin where my lashes live.  The violent sneeze remains, the fire in the hole that can blow a sphincter out.  I don’t wish this on my worst enemy and if there is any advice to be had, hang on to things and cross your legs when you feel the burn rising….and oh yes, I highly recommend Depends……... 


11 Comments
Wendy Dyer
3/11/2016 02:45:32 pm

Feel better .

Reply
Charlene
3/11/2016 03:59:43 pm

Sounds like the week from hell. Get better. Don't push too hard

Reply
Adena
3/11/2016 05:36:48 pm

OMG! Glad you're feeling better!

Reply
Anne
3/11/2016 06:37:21 pm

Hope you're feeling better soon Christine. This is a terrible bug that is going around. Take Care.

Reply
Deanna Naugler Gear
3/11/2016 07:08:38 pm

Take care and hope you are both feeling better really soon !

Reply
Rhoda Mac
3/11/2016 07:09:18 pm

Wishing you good health real soon.
I love your description of all your symptoms.

Reply
Christine Morse
3/11/2016 07:10:13 pm

Hope you both feel better soon! And Henri also!!

Reply
Sherry
3/12/2016 07:39:29 am

I'm just recovering from the same thing. Saps the life right out of you. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Reply
Della
3/12/2016 07:40:09 am

Oh my gosh sounds just awful. Take care both of you! Glad you are both on the road to recovery.

Reply
Margaret
3/12/2016 11:49:10 am

Our sympathies, from a couple similarly stricken! Nasty stuff!

Reply
Gail M
3/16/2016 03:26:50 pm

OMG I was in tears for you I have had this for 5 weeks it gets better then bites me again stay rested and take care I am going to the doctor again.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Christine Little has been ranked #5​ out of the 60 top rug hooking bloggers by Rug Hooking Magazine!

    Picture
    Picture
    Max Anderson, Australia, recipient of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug.  An award of excellence for promoting Canada through his writing.  
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Picture
    Picture
    Gift Certificates are available for that special rug hooker in your life!  Any denomination, no expiry date! 

    Picture

    Categories
    (Click on the categories for past blogs)

    All
    Announcements
    Beginner Class
    Christmas
    Colour Planning
    Contests
    Copyright
    Coupon
    Customer Rugs
    Cutter Servicing
    Dyeing
    Equipment
    Featured Hooker
    Giveaway Draw
    Guest Blogger
    Guest Blogger
    Health & Fitness
    Home & Heart
    Hooked Rugs
    Hooking Groups
    Hook In Talk
    Initially Yours
    Jibber Jabber
    Just A Bit Of Fun!
    Life's Experiences
    Life's Experiences
    New Design
    New Ideas
    Pattern Of The Week
    Patterns Hooked
    Pets
    Rants
    Recipes
    Rememberingfbe7326ff7
    Rug Schools
    Show & Tell
    Show-tell
    The Rant
    Tips Technique
    Tips Techniquef0cd117ab4
    Visitors
    Workshops

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture





















    Picture
    We have a pot to "Fiz" in!

Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Saturdays 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
We are closed during ice and snow storms
​so please call ahead.  If school is cancelled we probably are as well.  

Toll Free: 1-855-624-0370
Local: 1-902-624-0370​
encompassingdesigns@gmail.com

498 Main Street
P.O. Box 437
Mahone Bay, N.S.
Canada B0J 2E0

​Follow us and keep up to date
on our specials, new products
​and events!
Picture
Picture
Picture


Home
Shop
Ordering
Blog
Our Story
Workshops

Contact Us




​​​© Copyright 2023 Encompassing Designs. Website by SKYSAIL