A week ago Thursday, I could have sworn I smelled burning rubber in my office. A coworker agreed she could smell something, too. But we could never identify the source.
The next day, I could have sworn I smelled microwave popcorn in my office. Once again, I could not identify the source.
I did not sleep well that Thursday night, and Friday night, it was about 4:30 AM before I could go to sleep. I woke up okay Saturday morning, but after a couple of hours, it was evident to me that I had a gastrointestinal bug of some sort. I spent the day reading and sleeping. It took me forever to feed the cats, and clean cat pans. I could not stay up for very long. I did watch a movie. But mostly, I just sat on the recliner and read or slept. I had ginger ale and saltines.
Sunday I thought I was better. My food intake was limited to chicken soup, ginger ale and saltines, but I went to the store, gassed the car, did some minimal house work and even went to the library and took stuff to the recycling center. I was very tired and had little appetite, but otherwise I thought I was okay. I purposefully did not go to the pool to exercise, though.
I went to work Monday, and by Monday afternoon, I was hurting, still having problems including cramping and gas, and I was exhausted. When I got home, I slept before I fed the cats. This is so unusual. I always take care of the cats first thing when I get home from work. And I almost never take a nap during the day.
By Tuesday afternoon, I was feeling better, and the cramping was gone for the most part. But I was still exhausted, even though I was sleeping well at night. I did exercise that night.
Wednesday, I did go to the pool to exercise. I had very little appetite.
By Thursday, my appetite returned. I had dinner with the mystery book club at the Olive Garden. And enjoyed the discussion at Barnes and Noble.
I was still exhausted Friday, and could not wake up. After lunch, I was again exhausted. And could not get comfortable. And I was smelling things that were not there. But, I felt well enough to go to the pool to exercise, and here it is again, late. I have not been able to get comfortable physically or mentally.
I remember, years ago, a nurse telling me that when people are first becoming ill, their olfactory senses are more acute. She told me that because I had told her that I had smelled things that made me nauseous, but I was not actually ill with fever until the next day. I have noticed that to be true for me throughout my life. It might be the power of suggestion from her comments some 40 years ago. I don't know.
I also know that if I am not sleeping well, it can be a sign of impending illness. The problem is, I have been having sleeping problems for several weeks, so that did not help me this time.
I am sorry about the timeline of my illness. I mostly used it to demonstrate the point that this was not a 24 hour bug and done. The weird thing is that the coworker who smelled the burning odor in my office also became ill on Saturday. She stayed home sick on Monday, and shared the same timeline of feeling better but continuing to be exhausted throughout the week.
I do not believe in coincidences. So, I am not sure what was going on. I wonder if when we smelled burning in my office, we inhaled something that made us ill. The problem with this theory is that at least one other coworker, who did not smell anything in my office, has been ill with a gastrointestinal bug on the same timeline. Hmm.
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