We had a good plan. On Sunday, I was to fly down to NYC because I had two meetings down there, one Monday and one Tuesday. Steph was going to come down later on Monday and we were going to have – get this – two nights in NYC. Unheard of, really. Part of the trip was that some friends of ours just had a baby, so we were going to visit them as well. Seems so simple, right? Here’s what really happened:
- The trip started out great! I got on the Delta Shuttle (general seating, much like Southwest) and it turns out they had a first class cabin – general seating! – so I grabbed a first class seat. Sweet. Eventless flight, land in NYC, get to hotel. Allergies rocking my sinuses in full force, just like they have been since August 24th.
- Wake up the next morning and my head is pounding. Uh-oh. Sinus headache from allergies. And I forgot my Sudafed at home. Not just the normal Sudafed, either. I get the meth lab Sudafed where you have to bring the card up to the register and have them scan your license and sign stuff. The good stuff. Â Anyway, I forgot it. Call Steph, have her bring it down. No problems!
- Problems. Whenever I get out of a cab I scan the back seat to make sure I’ve left nothing in there. I do this ALL THE TIME. But my head is pounding, my stomach hurts a little (probably hungry) and this time I get out of the cab without looking. Five minutes later I’m setting up shop in the NY office and my Blackberry is gone, like a fart in the wind. Poof. Back of the cab. Shit!
- Feeling progressively worse, but still thinking it’s allergies because I missed a day on Sudafed. Meeting number one cancels on me (I am somewhat relieved). Not hungry at all, so I skip lunch.
- I get an email from Steph. An absolute SAINT named Julie has called her and tells her she found my Blackberry in the back of a cab. I am overjoyed and also now thinking this just might not be allergies, because I am really starting to feel craptastic. Advil has dulled the sinus headache a little, but my stomach is flaring, my throat hurts and the congestion is now more along the lines of head cold and not allergy.
- Highlight of my day – I go over to the Credit Swisse offices at 24th and Madison and get my Blackberry back. I nearly bow and kiss Julie’s feet. She’s about 6 foot 7.Â
- Steph arrives in town at about 4pm. I finish work (somehow) and get back to the hotel at 6:30pm. We go out for dinner, but dinner for me is abbreviated. I’m surprised I was able to eat the amount I ate and I need to stay upright for a couple of hours after – unsettled stomach. Now it is obvious – this ain’t no allergies anymore, this is a bad head cold and possibly the flu.
- Next morning confirms it – flu. Stomach bad. Horrific congestion. Headache. NO energy. I got nothing. Still, like an idiot, I go to the office. Like a aged prizefighter, I wobble around the ring and finally fall to the canvas at about 1pm. I cancel meeting #2 and go back to the hotel, where I stay, horizontal, until 9:30am yesterday. Train home yesterday.
Even worse, my dad had surgery on Tuesday and I wasn’t able to be there because of these meetings – neither of which actually happened. So I get to spend 3 days in NYC, lost my phone, pretty much in bed, two cancelled meetings and missed being with my family in the hospital, all the while in bed feeling like shit. Is there anything worse than being sick and NOT at home?
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Today, I’m feeling a little better, but the congestion is still pronounced and the energy is lacking.Â
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I felt so bad for Steph, who wanted to have a nice getaway with me and visit her friends. Instead, she got to experience me waking up every 2-3 hours sounding like a tuba player in the high school band while emptying my sinuses. Both of us slept worse than we do at home with two babies. I, of course, didn’t get to visit my friends and their new baby – I couldn’t go over there in good conscience – I was too afraid I would infect the harmless infant. And we didn’t really get to enjoy food the way we normally do when we’re down there.
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Let me also tell you something – despite needing the break, it sucked to be away from our little boys. Not sure we’ll try that again anytime soon. Today, I’m sitting here with a box of Puffs with Vicks! Hell to the yeah. I’m not sure if there’s actually any Vicks IN the tissues, but they SMELL like Vicks and I tell you what, I love the smell of Vicks.
you are scaring me, i should not have read this. stephen and i have scored a free weekend at the wequassett inn this weekend – no kids. however, we have both had a head and chest cold for the last 1-2 weeks. i bought 2 kinds of medicine today – the first to get everything up (lovely, huh?) and try and flush the cold out for the next 2 days, and then another one to crush all symptoms for the weekend, don’t care if it lengthens the life of the cold.
Oh, Jeff, that’s a horrid story…:(…I guess the best thing is that you did get your Blackberry back – lucky!!! Hope Steph stays well! And the kids, of course!!! There’s a lot of crap going around – Jenny has been really sick with a terrible head cold the last few days. Its not easy being sick with little kids and babies around! Take care!!!
PS – I meant to ask…how’s your Dad?