I May Be Sick, But I'm Not Dead Yet

Day 62
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I slept in until 1000 and then got ready for my doctors appointment which was at 1150. I arrived in just enough time to be seen by Dr. Castle but she said she only had 20 minutes so she got right down to business. After she checked my throat, ears, and breathing, I found out I have Bronchitis and have been contagious all week! Since I needed to work the next day I asked her if that was okay and she said the medicine she was prescribing would start to work in 24 hours so come morning, I would no longer be contagious and I would be fine to go in to work. She gave me azithromycin, also known as the “Z-pack” and some Mucinex. As soon as I filled the prescriptions, I took one dose of each.

Before heading home I stopped by the commissary to buy some more soup, and I picked up a sandwich at the deli since I just realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. I decided to wait in line to drive my vehicle through the car wash since it was filthy again, and the line was rather short for such a sunny day. I ate my sandwich as I waited my turn and just enjoyed being out of the house for a while.

Böblingen, Germany

When I got home I finally called the "Military Space Available-Travel" people to ask about my flying privileges, and after I found out I would be able to travel without my husband any time I wanted, I hung up and immediately called my Mom to share the good news. We chatted for an hour and a half and I told her I planned to visit in April for her birthday which made her very excited.

I wanted to get to sleep early because I had to be up at 0600 for work the next day so I headed to bed around 2200. Unfortunately, I was still awake at 0300...not kidding! I just couldn't sleep, I couldn't breath out of my nose and I kept sneezing, 0600 came way too soon. At least the car is clean, happy I accomplished something today ;)



Warning:  Dates in Calendar are closer than they appear.  ~Author Unknown

Great Friends + Italian Food= Happiness

Day 61
Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I have no idea why I woke up at 0730 this morning but I felt like hell, my head hurt, I couldn't berath out of my nose, and my throat was on fire. I got out of bed and took some Mucinex, drank a cup of water, and went right back to bed until 1300. I still felt terrible when I woke up the second time but I knew I needed to take a shower so I could meet my friend Shari at the gate at 1630 to sign her in.

Shari & Mandy

After my shower I finally called the Patch Medical Clinic to see if by some miracle they had an appointment left for tomorrow. Sure enough, they did and I was so thankful! I really wanted to kick this myself but after three full days of it getting progressively worse, it was time to give up and see a doctor.

Earlier in the week I had asked a few friends to join Shari and I for dinner at this restaurant just outside of the Panzer Housing Gate called "Monte Casino," and I really didn’t want to have to cancel on everybody. I hung in there until 1930 and six of us ended up walking to the restaurant together. I had never been there before and the food was wonderful, a lot like Italy. I ate a small salad and some pizza for dinner and everyone shared Tirimisu for dessert. We had such a great time; I love getting friends together and it was nice to get out of the house for a couple of hours.

Pizza San Marco in Rome, Italy

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.  ~Indian Saying

Buried...up to my waist in tissues

Day 60
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Today I got out of bed at 0800 and felt like crap again but I thought I could make myself better by getting some fresh air. It wasn't a very warm day but I was hot from being sick, perhaps I had a fever. I took some Mucinex and ate some cereal while I checked my email to see if I had heard from Matt.

I paid a few bills before taking a shower and blow drying my hair. I was out of breath and sweating afterwards which made me think my fever was breaking but I never took my temperature so I didn’t even know if I really had one.

I loaded up my huge backpack with things I needed to mail to the states, a pair of pants I needed to get heemed, and some water and an apple for a snack. I walked down the four flights of stairs in our building and headed over to the main part of the Panzer base (we live across the street on the housing base). After mailing my packages, picking up my rings from the jewlery people, and checking our mail to find a package of goodies from my Mom and sister, I was ready to head back home.

My wedding rings

I had walked all over the base and I was feeling okay at first but after I finished my errands all I wanted to do was go back to bed. Three hours later I was finally home and in need of some more meds. I knew I had to meet Shari at 1630 at the front gate to sign her in so I couldn't go back to sleep quite yet; she said I looked like crap when I went to meet her...in a sincere way.

I needed some more medicine, tissues, and some soup for dinner so I took Shari with me to the Commissary to do some shopping. We rented a couple of horror movies and headed home to be lazy. My friend Michelle (I have two friends here named Michelle) came over to watch "Buried" with us.

Even though I felt like crap, I was so thankful to have friends that would come over and keep me company while my husband is away. I just hope I don't get them sick!



Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live.  ~Jean Cocteau

A Case of the Mundays

Day 59
Monday, February, 28, 2011

What a way to end the month of February…sick! I woke up with this terrible headache and sore throat this morning. Luckily I had a bunch of tea and a few cough drops in the house to hold me over because taking a shower, getting dressed, and going to the store was definitely the last thing I wanted to do when I woke up at 0900 this morning. I made some German Pfefferminz (peppermint) Tea and watched a movie on my laptop in bed. I opened the blinds and noticed the sun was out which made me feel a little better. I have a difficult time relaxing and taking it easy. I’m always up and moving doing laundry or cleaning or planning something, but I knew that rest was exactly what I needed to help feel better today, so I tried really hard to get plenty of it.

Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it.  If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing information.  ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Thank the Lord for Girlfriends

Day 58
Sunday, February, 27, 2011

I took Matt to the airport at 0830 for his trip to Camp Lejeune, NC for the week. He was heading there to complete a Suicide Prevention Training Course so that he could be a counselor here in Germany. I worked on my blog for a few hours until my friend Shari came over to hang out with me.

We went tanning and lazed about watching TV and posting pictures on Facebook. It was so nice to have the company while my husband was gone and Shari and I always have so much fun together.

Time is like the wind
That comes in the morning
With a barely palpable caress of the cheek
Rising to a comfortable caress
In its measured passage of the day
Until it rises a sudden gale
Revealing the irrevocability of its power
Trembling our browning leaves
And blowing them to our finality.
~Phillip Pulfrey

Flea Market Finds & Fancy Eats

Day 57
Saturday, February 26, 2011

Today was cold but very sunny and we just couldn't waste it so Matt and I headed to downtown Stuttgart with our friend Cullen who just moved back to the area. He is also a Marine on reserve orders but he’ll only be here until August this time. We perused the outdoor flea market near the Markthalle and we all found some cool German Steins to take home.

Cullen and Matt ate a late lunch at this fancy looking German restaurant called Amadeus while I enjoyed some hot green tea.

Organic Green Tea

After dropping Cullen off on Patch Barrracks, it was just about 2000 when we arrived back at our house and I was exhausted. Matt had to find a suitcase and pack for his trip to North Carolina for a week of training, and I had to do some laundry so he had enough uniforms...again with that last minute. I think it was after 0130 before we actually got to bed, thankfully we didn't have to get up until 0730 in the morning.

Maltaschen

Matt & Cullen

The clock talked loud.  I threw it away, it scared me what it talked.  ~Tillie Olsen

Shenanigans

Day 56
Friday, February 25, 2011

I was still getting over my sore back today so I took it easy while Matt went to go work on his car a little more. He had the day off because he missed the three day weekend last week.

Matt's GLI

We were invited to our friend Gio's birthday party at O' Donovan's Irish pub and since I wasn't drinking anything but my lemonade mixture and water, I was glad that we would be somewhere with a free toilet. This Cleanse that I'm on makes me have to pee 4-5 times an hour and most places in Germanay charge 50 cents (in euro) to use the toilet.

Each person leaves 50 cents

Before we headed out there my friend Mrs. Awesome (names have been changed to protect the intoxicated) called to ask me what I was up to and it just so happened she was already at OD's having a blast. I told her we'd see her in about an hour or two, and when we arrived she was pretty drunk. I was worried about her because she was there without her husband and these guys were trying to buy her drinks and some of them looked pretty shady.

I said "Hi" to Kate and Gio and kept my eye on Mrs. Awesome until I had to go to the bathroom. When I came back upstairs she seemed even more intoxicated and I tried to get her to drink some water. In case you're wondering how I know this beautiful free spirit, I'll tell you a quick story. When Matt and I first arrived in Germany we attended the local Oktoberfest a few times. One time I drank two German beers all by myself...this equates to two liters at an Oktoberfest and if you've never tried German beer, let me just tell you it's a lot stronger than your traditional Bud Light or Blue Moon. I was already smashed by the time I met her but she was wandering the area where we were sitting and heard us speaking English and asked if she could sit with us. We chatted for a while, I found out she was a military spouse too, and then she ended up helping me walk back to my friends house as I stumbled with each step.

No, I wasn't drinking 2 at a time

Needless to say, I owed her one. At around 2200 she was too intoxicated to tell me her address so we called her husband and got it so I could put it in my GPS to take her home. I was away from the birthday party for less than an hour and even though I felt terrible for leaving, I knew I needed to be a good friend and make sure Mrs. Awesome got home safe and sound.

Matt & Gio

Once I got back to OD's, the place was in full swing and it wasn't even 2300 yet. I grabbed another Sprudelwasser (sparkling water) and joined my friends. We met some good people tonight and I was even given a Jersey Shore nickname, "Peaches" by some friends who get together to watch the TV show each week and all have their own Jersey Shore names. I'm glad to know there are more crazy people out there who watch the Jersey Shore. 

Birthday cupcakes

Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out.  That is what it is for.  Spend all you have before you die; do not outlive yourself.  ~George Bernard Shaw