Day 3 - 83 -- Overwhelming Distances

It was a fairly usual day at work for end of term -- a class, student meetings and grading. Felt very yucky with the virus thing. By mid-afternoon there was a lot of discomfort that seemed to be due to a slightly elevated temperature. Meds helped a bit, but not fully. I' made an appointment with my MD a couple weeks ago to deal with some annual follow ups, so just added the cold to that list of things to discuss. He assured me that my diagnosis of cold was correct and then let me know that the many others with a similar virus feel better within a couple weeks, but that the cough lasts for a month or so. Yay <sarcastic tone>.

The tiredness that accompanies an infection can be surprising. Even if one feels a  bit better than earlier in the day or than the day before, the fatigue can arrive in full force with little warning -- like an unscheduled freight train. Once that occurs,  there is little one can do except stop activity and rest, which is difficult to do when at work. I've been able to leave by 4 PM most days this week, once most interactive work was completed and head home to eat and rest and then begin with grading and lecture prep into the evening. I know this will pass, but sometimes it is so difficult to accept that the yuckiness will be with me for a while yet.

When the weariness does strike, even small tasks become enormous. Walking to the end of the hallway and back seems like a marathon. This feeling sent a song line through my head. I'm sharing one of many covers of this song. The lyrics say what I felt when faced with walking to the parking lot in the late afternoon. The music has a mournful sound to it that played into my feelings -- physical and emotional. I love the acoustic guitars and the amazing harmonies of these fantastic voices. Enjoy!

500 Miles -- Peter, Paul, & Mary