I Am Typhoid Mary

Seriously, that's what the doctor called me. I would probably be laughing right now if laughing didn't hurt so much. Those aches and pains from yesterday? Yeah, not from exercising. As it turns out, I have Influenza B and I am highly contagious. By the by, if a doctor tells you that a test for a disease is unpleasant, he's probably not kidding. Having a swab shoved really far up you nose HURTS. But I didn't make any noise, just closed my eyes in pain, and he said I am amazing because even big, strong men squeak.

I feel like crap! I ache everywhere, including my eyes and teeth. When the doctor came in I was dozing on the examination table. I tried to tell him that I probably just have a cold and the aches are probably from exercising. He immediately said, "No, they're not."

"They're not?"

"No, they are not."

"Um, ok. Thanks." He was right. Apparently the fact that I was laying down, sorta sleeping was a symptom all on it's own. That and the burning in my lungs, my dry cough and the aches all over.

Part of me really wanted it to just be a cold, but I feel so terrible that part of me really wanted it to be something else. Especially since I'm pretty sure my boss thought I was faking illness today at work. There's a smug kind of satisfaction in calling up someone who thinks you're lying and telling them that you have a doctor's note saying you can't work. Yes, I could use the 12 or more hours I would have worked tomorrow, but in my current state I would have never made it. The doctor even informed me that I probably already infected everyone at work (Oops! Is it bad that I hope my boss gets it?) and that Branden probably has it, too. I called up the few people I've seen this week to tell them. It seems that Katie's family may have it, too.

It's a virus so there's not much to be done except to drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. When my fever breaks I will no longer be contagious and can come out of quarantine. Yes, Branden has put me in quarantine. We bought a thermometer and a humidifier and I have been shut in the bedroom with both and my laptop. Maybe I'll take a nap. I'm awfully tired.