The week the Russian flu took over

It all began with a sniffle on March 8. March 9 the tickle in the throat followed and I went straight to the pharmacy and got the appropriate medications. I even had the forethought to bring some NeoCitran along from Canada. That night, I tossed and turned, shivered uncontrollably and woke in a pool of sweat. I was supposed to go to cross country skiing match that morning where I would have witnessed Canada’s first gold medal, but I gave my tickets away and decided to rest until I had to work. 

First mistake - going to work. My shift wasn’t so bad... then the sun went down and the shaking began again. I went straight home, but even in the warm bus, the shivers persisted. That night was the worst. I have never experienced such a total lack of control of my body temperature. It was a roller coaster ride through hell. My dear roommate, Evgenia, brought me medication, fruit by the dozens, and anything else I asked for. It was clear this was a step above the common 24-hour flu. 

I won't be lacking in vitamin C or potassium! 

March 10 - Russian doctor visit #2... (Visit # 1) 

Just like when you go to the mechanics and your car stops making that strange sound, my body didn’t yield anything out of the normal. Evgenia was with me every step of the way, translating for doctors, getting me juice and tea. I’d like to thank Evgenia, your kind soul was the only light in my week of darkness. Without your care, I would have been utterly lost.

Evgenia braving the rain to actually go to work. She is borrowing my rubber boots to stay dry!

So why was I unable to shake this fever? Here are the reasons:

1. Sochi is a sub-tropical climate. My body is accustomed to the complete opposite. If the temperature falls just a few degrees, it feels like ten to me. The moisture in the air, combined with the rain we’ve been having lately are a lethal combination.
2. My brand-new tattoo, or rather I should call it a gaping wound in my leg! My body’s immune system is torn preventing infection in my leg and fighting this sub-tropical flu. Clearly the tattoo is winning, which remain infection free.
3. No mommy to take care of me. While my roommate Evgenia has been a lifesaver, there’s got to be some scientific proof that a mothers touch can actually cure any illness.

Clearly I would not be making it to work that day, and thankfully March 12 was my scheduled day off. The roller coaster continued. On the plus side, I was able to nearly finish the Game of Thrones series when I was strong enough to be awake. One the downside, my nightmares consisted of riding dragons and being tortured in dungeons. The drug-haze made the dreams feel real, so you can imagine the extra tosses and turns Evgenia had to put up with throughout the night. 

On the morning of March 13, I woke up amidst a pool of sweat and rose anew. Compared to how I’d been feeling, a day with the regular flu would have felt like the best day of my life. I slowly rose, showered, and took my sweet time getting ready for my shift. At work, my manager let me stay inside as to not spark another bout of the shivers. 

While I was sitting at the desk typing, I noticed I couldn't feel my fingers. As I turned my head downwards, the white hands that stared back left me in shock. I guess had been laying down so long my blood circulation needed a little help kicking in at vertical level. After laying on the floor and then clapping and jumping up and down, I was able to see rosy patches return to my ghostly hands. 

March 14 proved to be a much more positive day! While I’m not back to 100%, I’m elated to be a solid 90%!

Thank you again Evgenia, and my former team leader Nadezda who also brought magical pills that kept the monsters at bay.