The New Sick Day

Illness is a cost of existence. Personally, I regard myself as a terrible patient. I am easily bored, my brain wallows in the absence of stimuli, and a sluggish pace is at odds with my internal preferred pace of life.

As I write this article, I have the joy of sitting in a very nice bed on a tropical island with both gastroenteritis and a UTI (because, why not both?). After a few hours this morning spent at the resort’s medical clinic, I’m the happy new owner of a large quantity of Cipro and some electrolite powders to boost hydration.

Should I be mourning lost vacation time? Probably. What am I doing instead? Writing an article, clearing inbox, responding to Microsoft Teams messages, sipping a hydration mix, and plotting out this afternoon’s possibilities in the event that I’m able to stand up and walk in a few hours. As always, I’ve got my book (The Cloisters by Katy Hays) in the event that the afternoon plans don’t come to fruition.

Sick days are, unfortunately, inevitable. So how do we make the most of them, knowing they will be part of our year?

First priority: Get better.

• See your/a doctor ASAP. The logic here is that the faster you see someone who can write a prescription, the faster that prescription will get filled, and thus the faster you can take it and start feeling better. If a doctor visit isn’t warranted, I would argue that you either aren’t sick enough to need to take a day to mend or that you fall into the unlucky camp of folks with chronic conditions. For that camp, you’ve got your meds and management tools and now is the time to start using them.

• Hydrate. Water is great, add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar to a liter of water to make a simple homemade electrolite mix. I prefer to avoid artificial coloring, but I’ll add some flavor with a splash of fruit juice if needed.

• Fuel up. Depending on your ailment, fuel may vary. If you’re struggling to keep food down, cultural knowledge says chicken noodle soup and ginger. In my experience, whatever sounds appealing (if anything) may stay down just as well. Take a page out of Chinese medicine and focus on warm foods: broths, soups, teas, and congees are a good place to start.

Second priority: Meet your brain’s needs.

• Have a task at any given point - and resting is a task! So is reading, writing, coloring, walking, talking on the phone, answering emails, even watching TV. Pivot to a less intense activity (rest, TV) as needed. Take breaks.

• Keep it simple and do only one task at a time. Now is not multitasking time. The goal is to keep just active enough that your brain doesn’t fall into the rabbit hole of wallowing in self-pity.

Third priority: Be patient.

• Take a minute for self care. Shower, brush your hair and teeth, put on a comfy loungewear set. Use some lavender lotion and sip a cup of ginger lemon tea. How you feel can be influenced, to a degree, by how you look.

• Get sunlight. Just be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen as needed.

• Open a window or go outside for a bit. Even just reading in fresh air can help break up the monotony of being in bed or on the couch, and it can be just as comfy.

Here’s to feeling better soon.

With love, E