These last 7 days have been quite interesting for me. It was of those times in my life that when I look back it will bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart!
Last Tuesday I came home from work with a slight cough and thought nothing much of it. That is until I woke up in the middle of the night with a painfully sore throat and a fear to cough knowing how much it was going to burn in my chest. In a mere few hours I went from feeling ok to I am no longer sure what is happening. When I woke Wednesday morning my throat was still sore and I felt horrible. As the morning progressed it all got worse to the point of not going to work. Sore throat. Coughing but would much rather hold my breath as it hurt so bad. Fever. Sweating. I guess you could say I was sick. But being I am stubborn I just didn't realize how sick until much later that day and into the evening.
That evening my dear sweet friend Pam, after much convincing and straight talk, had me packing a bag and heading to her place to be taken care of. I was more concerned about them catching this from me then being taken care of but boy am I glad I went. Upon arrival I dropped my bags at the door and made my way to the all too familiar lazy boy. I thought I would be sick for the night and back at work the next day. Was I wrong!! I finally made it back to work Monday....5 days later.
But I learned a few things in 5 days of being taken care of while sick that I don't think I would have learned if I wasn't sick. Interesting sometimes how life works out the details.
I learned...
~ Friends are priceless and will do whatever it takes when they can. My friend graciously gave up her bedroom for me. She opened her home to someone very sick. She tended to my needs. She showed a love that had no conditions attached. She ran errands for me, made tea with honey, cooked meals, bought medications, made sure my cats were fed and even a run or two to Starbucks was done.
~ Rest is a good thing. there were times she had to be stern in telling me to rest as 'resting' is not something I do well....but I am learning.
~ Friends come in all ages...young and old. Richard bless his heart, is an amazing 10 yr old. He was so concerned about my fever that one night he put a cold cloth on my forehead, a frozen towel on my neck and then knelt beside me with a bowl full of cool water in which he would dip his hand and gently run it on my arm. This simply blew me away!!
~ You can't always leave when you want to. I tried to leave Friday morning to go to work and then head home only to break out in a fever once again. My bags were all packed, the bedding changed and I thought I was on my way. My body had other ideas. So back to bed I went yet again.
~ You need shoes to go home. Richard decided at one point to hide my shoes so that I could not go home. I thought this was a genius idea!
~ Sometimes you can't plan. I never planned on getting sick and surely never planned on staying at Pam's for so many days but through this journey I learned a lot.
~ Love is not always something felt....it can also been shown.
Even though I was sick I would not have changed any of these past 7 days.
I believe it is at times like this that a friendship grows stronger. When we are not at our best is when we are most ourselves. I wore pj's and bedhead for most of those sick days and it didn't matter to Pam or Richard what I looked like, what mattered was on the inside.
I know I am truly blessed and loved! What a GREAT feeling!!
