Extremely Blue and Feeling Unwell

 

 The last several days have had me feeling:

• emotionally quite blue
• physically rather ill

From the emotional standpoint.... there are the various normal sadness-es I live with..... feelings about the one I cannot write about, feeling old and spent, feeling no purpose, feeling lonely.

But, from the emotional standpoint, there have been a few additions that are seasonal or perhaps new.... the return to the more rigid schedule of Fall Semester, fast approaching deadlines that are rigid for some proposals I need to make, but the electronic submission process is not yet ready (meaning I will have to put these proposals together extremely fast and furiously when the damn site opens... and I figure out exactly what is needed), and some other things.

And, from the emotional standpoint..... another close friend/colleague... one I have known for over 40 years.... passed away.  I think this unexpected passing of my friend was especially harsh and impacted me a lot.  Even though he is retired, I was able to talk and visit with him about two weeks ago.  He seemed good at that time.  He experienced a massive stroke that lead to his death. 

* * * * 

From a physical standpoint... various people in my family including my wife have acquired and passed around some sort of upper respiratory bug (viral, most likely), and now I acquired it as well.  I refer to the specific condition as pharyngitis.  It is an upper respiratory condition that results in a extreme nasal congestion and congestion headaches, feelings of being very hot/flush... but no official fever, generalized body aches and discomfort and, a rather "mild" sore throat that is in the upper boundary of the throat.....

.... but it is the "mild" sore throat that is in many ways the most difficult.  It is difficult because this particular type of sore throat, while often lasting perhaps only a day or two.... in the post sore throat phase... for several days that region... while no longer "sore" feels "tickly" and.... it makes you VERY PRONE to having coughing spasms.  

These coughing spasms are all about that sensitive area at the back of the throat.... but they elicit DEEP, full body coughs... and they occur quite a bit while trying to sleep.  TRYING is the operative word.  

These coughing spasms are exhausting.  And they typically last for 4-5 days after the actual sore throat ends.  

This is the first bout of "pharyngitis" I have had since before the Covid Pandemic started, so I have been doing well.  But.... I am so, so exhausted that I am besides myself much of the time.  I probably have 2 more days of this damnable coughing and disrupted sleep.  

* * * * * 

I am very lucky I finished my 50+ miles last week before I caught the damn bug.  This week has been rough.....

• Monday, I FORCED myself to run 10 miles (~16 km).  It was slow going, and not fun.
• Today, I FORCED myself to run 10 miles (~16 km).  Again, it was slow going, and not fun.  

I ran, not because I wanted to do so.  I ran because I needed to get some miles under my belt if I had any hope of reaching my goal and maintaining my consistency of running 50+ miles a week.

PipeTobacco