Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read about being single and sick and what to do when you’re home alone.
I suppose I consider myself pretty lucky that I rarely get sick.
And I sure hope I didn’t jinx myself by writing that!
JINX!!!
I’ve rarely taken time off work due to feeling unwell. Even when we were getting Covid vaccinations I didn’t get any side effects. Except the one time I got a big bruise – ouch! All my coworkers were coming down with various symptoms have being jabbed and took time off work. Not me. I felt fine. Other than a sore arm that one time…
And now is a good time to say – don’t go in to work if you’re sick. I had a coworker who used to do that playing up the sympathy card. Look at me, I’m sick as a dog, and I’m such a hero and team player and coming in to work. Go home! Nobody wants to be near something who is constantly coughing, sneezing, sniffling, and blowing their nose. We don’t want to get sick too!
Bugs me so much I even did a video on YouTube.
Single life
When we live alone, we have no one to depend on but ourselves. If something needs to be done, we have to do it.
So it really sucks when we get sick and we have no one else in the house who can help out. There’s no one to bring us a glass of water, cup of tea, soup, or something to eat. If we’re in bed, we have to haul ourselves out and take care of our needs.
Many of us own pets. Dogs still need to go outside for a walk. Yes, even if I am “sick as a dog” I still need to put my clothes on and take the dogs outside for potty breaks.
And if you’re like me and own horses and keep them at a farm where you self board – aka do all the work yourself – you still have to figure out a way to drive out there and make sure they have food and water.
Preparation
No one wants to think about getting sick, but it’s a good idea to have what you need in the house in case it happens.
Though these days with delivery apps, you can probably place an order with Uber or Door Dash and get what you need.
Here are some things to consider keeping in your medicine cabinet:
- Aspirin or another pain killer
- NeoCitran
- Dayquil and Nyquil
- Pepto Bismal (or similar)
And here are other things to have on hand that you probably don’t store in your bathroom:
- Tea
- Canned soup
- Ginger ale
- Ginger cookies
- Graham crackers or other bland crackers
- Oatmeal
- Honey
You might think honey is an odd thing to have on the list. If you have a sore throat, a spoonful of honey could be just what you need. Honey may help suppress coughing. It’s rich in antioxidants and can assist with gastrointestinal issues. Add it to your tea if you don’t want to chug a spoonful straight up.
Whether it’s medicine or food, keep an eye on the expiry date. Medicines like aspirin aren’t going bad after their expiry date, but they might be less effective. Some of the food items might taste stale after their best before date.
Other supplies you should have on hand are tissues and disinfecting wipes.
Also, follow the advice of Flylady and get into the daily habit of swish and swipe your bathroom. No one wants to puke into a dirty toilet. Click the image below to find out other things you should be doing daily. When you’re not sick that is! Give yourself a one day break!
Being a nomad and getting sick
My plant-based eating choices and vitamins and supplements and walking and doing my best to live a healthy lifestyle help contribute to my overall health. Seriously. I’ve very rarely taken a sick day at work and I’ve been staying well in my travels.
When I get sick, it’s usually due to eating something that my body decided was bad for me. And as you know, your body rejects anything that’s not good for it.
Long story short – it doesn’t stay down.
I just hate throwing up. Fortunately it doesn’t happen often and when it does it’s not something I’ve cooked. Something was probably prepared with a meat base that was not disclosed or made obvious to me.
Seriously, folks. Sometimes vegetarian soup is made from a beef or chicken base. I always ask first before ordering soup in restaurants.
When I was in Ptuj, Slovenia, I threw up shortly after going to bed. I’d gone to the grocery store and bought a salad and blueberry chia pudding for dinner. Healthy enough. Doesn’t sound like anything that contains meat products. But there must have been something that got cross contaminated.
I had a ginger ale in my backpack, but of course, not something I’m remembering about at midnight.
Sick day
When I’ve been sick, and here I’m mostly talking about food that doesn’t stay down, I take a rest day.
I probably have a weak stomach, and the stomach is core to a whole bunch of things, including just walking around.
If your daily routine includes exercise, skip it today.
Rest.
When you’re feeling ready to get out of bed, or after you’ve taken care of your pets, here’s what I want you to do:
- Brush your teeth
- Shower
- Comb hair and blow dry if needed
- Put on your regular clothes
- A little makeup if you’re into it
- Dab on lip gloss or chapstick
- Drink a glass of water
- Make oatmeal for breakfast
- Put your nightclothes, bed linens (if sweaty or gross), towel, face cloth into washing machine and start the laundry
- Wipe down the toilet and bathroom sink with disinfecting wipes
- Relax
These are the things you need to accomplish shortly after getting out of bed to make yourself feel normal and presentable. Plus you need to do minor cleaning of anything affected by your sickness.
Today is not a day to vacuum or even stand at the sink washing dishes. In your weakened condition, you don’t want to be on your feet too long.
Relax
I’m always on the go, so lying down during the day goes against my grain. But I do it when I’m not feeling well. Whether I’m lying on the bed and reading a book or on the couch watching TV, this is how I relax when I’m not feeling well.
Now is when I drink ginger ale, but I also drink water throughout the day. It’s possible I even made tea in the morning hoping it might help me feel better.
I find a chai latte really helps when I’m not feeling well or have a weak stomach. I used to have a Tassimo and always kept chai latte pods in the house for those just in case times. Starbucks makes an excellent chai latte, and I’m sure other coffee and tea shops do as well. If you’re feeling well enough to drive, I recommend going out and getting yourself a chai latte.
If you don’t feel up to driving, today might be the day to splurge on a delivery company. Though I’d probably want to order more than just a tea to make the delivery costs a little bit more worthwhile!
And no, I don’t normally use a food delivery service, but I am open to it.
Single and Sick
I won’t lie. It’s miserable being sick and single and not having someone who can assist with basic things like bringing food and drinks or walking the dog.
It’s all about self-care because there’s no one else around to take care of us.
By following the tips above, your sick day can be a bit normal until we return to our 100% normal.
Being prepared in advance for a sick day is crucial so you don’t have to leave the house to scrounge up the things you need – like ginger ale. Eventually I have to drink up my ginger ale because I rarely get sick and eventually it does go stale. I always keep at least one can of ginger ale on hand. I find sipping a ginger ale helps me feel better and I can’t recommend it enough.
Do things as soon as you can to make your sick area more bearable like disinfecting the bathroom and putting clothes and linens into the laundry.
Make yourself feel normal by brushing your teeth, and eating and drinking what you can keep down.
Today is your day to relax. Even if it takes more than one day to feel better,stay home and get some rest. Lie down on the couch and watch TV. Get back in bed and read a book or listen to a podcast. You might surprise yourself and fall asleep. Resting lets your body heal itself.
The above tips are for minor ailments like colds, sore joints and muscles, or upset stomachs.
If anything more major is happening to your body and if you can’t get out of bed, you need to call 911. Emergency services are there to help you. Not every 911 call means going to the hospital in an ambulance. Let the paramedics assist you and evaluate you.
I hope you feel better soon!
xoxoxoxo
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on October 8, 2024.