Being sick alone.....

divadee

Hi all.

I am having a morning of feeling a bit sorry for myself.

I have got some kind of stomach flu/noroviris thing and it's horrible.

I've had a temperature of over 40 since yesterday afternoon. I'm freezing cold, everything hurts, and I can't even keep water in me. (I'm not throwing up its the other end).

How do people cope with being poorly like this alone? It's all new to me as I've recently split up with my long term partner.

PasturesNew

I've never been anything else but alone. You live. It's what you do. I keep "lazy food" in the cupboard that I could make/eat if I'm really ill (e.g. instant custard and tins of creamed rice) ....

Having said that I've never actually been ill.

You do it because you've no choice. You'll probably live (you'll lie there and wonder how long it'd be before the body was found though....) and you'll feel sorry for yourself... but, that's just the single life.

missbiggles1

It's often easier being on your own when you're ill so that you can just shuffle between bed and loo without having to worry about anybody else.

Hope you feel better soon.

divadee

Thanks guys.

I am just feeling sorry for myself. I know that. I am just in so much pain that crawling to the kitchen for water is even too much.

Person_one

You put your comfiest pyjamas on, pick a good TV series on Netflix and accept that today will be spent between bed/sofa and bathroom. Keep sipping cold water, don't try to eat except maybe some mints to suck on to keep your mouth feeling fresh.

If you need supplies of paracetamol/toilet roll/hot water bottle or anything else, call a friend. It's a Sunday, most people will be happy to let a friend have a good moan for a bit, or to pop round with some stuff from Tesco. If none of your friends/family can help I believe there are delivery companies who'll bring you that kind of stuff now.

kathrynha

Agree with PasturesNew, you just get on with it.

Have some easy comforting food in the cupboard all the time.

Water bottle with a sports cap is good of you are feeling unstable, because if you knock it over it spills slower. Also good for keeping putting lots of little bits of fluid in you. I would buy cheap, and chuck out and replace once you are better.

I would keep your mobile charged and close by, just in case you get seriously ill.

Personally I prefer to be on my own when ill. No worries about waking people when you are up in the night, and no hubby asking if you will be well enough to make his dinner.

DigForVictory

Right now, when you can, slap an online order through for Do Not Have To Think food. It's possibly not terribly MSE but it means you have choices in food & drink & you don't have to venture out & share the lurgy. Check it includes paracetamol (or whatever they'll sell that may help), something to add to hot water to make it taste (squash, drinking chocolate - whatever makes you feel happier - Comfort Food!) & possibly handkerchieves & loo roll.

Tins date slowly, so soups, ravioli, stews, again etc Comfort food but simple, low effort required!

If you like eggs, those are splendid little packages of nutrition for a small effort & alone, there's noone to look shocked if you cook them in the kettle. Just go careful pouring...

The "eh?!" factor of being ill alone for the first time is almost as bad as the noro, but in both cases You Do Get Better, honest. Plus with the alone bit, you can plan, deliberately. If you rarely enjoyed anchovy toast as someone used to grouse about the smell? Now you can eat a slice Any Time you want. Yes, that steaming brew exactly how you like it is because you made it that way, but it'll taste as good for not having to negotiate.

And when you feel better, you may want to plan a new duvet. They're hell on wheels to wash even in full health. See what you fancy as a statement of I'm Better! (If funds really do not permit & anyway the duvet's fine, at least change the bedding. Over on the OS Pleasures you'll find clean bedding bubbling through as a reliable pleasure!)

Lunar_Eclipse

I was really ill last year and spent 10 days completely bedridden, and a few more weeks taking it easy.

I was alone during the day and felt as you do now. It's unpleasant, but try not to get upset, it's the fever talking; you will be fine.

Since you are not being sick, I would definitely eat if you can. Plain soft white bread would be ideal. And flat coke in addition to water.

I'm sure you'll bounce back in no time. Although the day will feel long, I would expect you'll even feel much better tomorrow. And again by Tuesday. It's not really that long.

One thing I regretted when I broke my leg a few years ago was not keeping on top of the housework as much as I should have. I'd let a few things slip (actually maybe just vacuuming) but was mortified when friends visited, which many did over the weeks of my sitting around on the sofa! I made a conscious decision not to repeat that experience; you might come up with similar thoughts, plans & dreams during this enforced downtime.

torbrex

All good advice above but I would add, as ill as you feel, you need to get out a walk in the fresh air it will help your digestive system to stretch out a bit and ease the pressure that you feel at both ends.
Don't go far as the walk may open the flood gates and you might need a loo at short notice but trust me, you will definitely feel the better for it.

Don't whine too much as folk might think that you are a man :rotfl:

divadee

torbrex wrote: »

All good advice above but I would add, as ill as you feel, you need to get out a walk in the fresh air it will help your digestive system to stretch out a bit and ease the pressure that you feel at both ends.
Don't go far as the walk may open the flood gates and you might need a loo at short notice but trust me, you will definitely feel the better for it.

Don't whine too much as folk might think that you are a man :rotfl:

I feel like a man at the moment. I am the most pathetic specimen going. I keep bursting into tears the whole bloody time.

System

(((((Hugs)))). I tend to want to be on my own when i'm ill. If i'm ill i am grumpy so i tend to shut myself in the bedroom and shut the door. Anyone who walks in to ask me something usually gets their head bitten off.

Hope you feel better soon.