she's a good "sticker"

I have decided that I am going to throw a big dinner party for all of the friends who have taken care of me the last five days picking me up and/or taking me home when I've felt horribly ill, taken me to Ukrop's or gone by themselves to get me ginger ale, chicken noodle soup, saltines, and the like . . . who've been calling to check up on me . . . I am very blessed and yes, I am still struggling to get over the virus the struck me down on Sunday. I have been bed ridden for most of the week. I managed to make it through a whole day of work on Tuesday (completely miserable) only to come in to work on Wednesday and have to be driven home by a colleague because I had nausea and chills and could barely move without feeling like I was on a tiny boat caught floating up and down on massive swells in the middle of the arctic.

My uncle took me to see the doctor yesterday afternoon. Apparently a massive viral cloud has settled over the city of Richmond and I am one of many to have acquired the virus. But, being already unhealthy, as my doctor told me, my body is having a lot harder time getting well. So, all I can do right now to fight the virus is eat a lot, sleep a lot, and cut out any extra activity besides work. Which sadly, I've already had to do - I've had to drop out of all of the rehearsals and the concert this week for the symphony. Once I get past this virus I have to work on getting myself healthy again.

They took blood from me at the doctor's office yesterday. In my shaky and sick state, I still managed to inform the nurse who was about to stick me with a needle that she had a challenging task ahead of her, as my veins are very hard to find and the last nurse to get blood from me two months ago had to stick me 3 times (and almost call for back-up). The nurse laughed and said that she'd do her best not to stick me more than once. I looked away (because as long as I don't look when I'm being stuck with a needle, I'm fine) and then I hear the nurse say "Hmmm . . . hey _____ (insert name of random nurse walking by)" to which I think to myself ("oh great, she can't find a vein") but then the nurse is like "Oh nevermind, I got it." My automatic reflex was to loudly proclaim "Thank God!" The nurse who had been walking by looked perplexed and less she think that my declaration was because the nurse taking my blood was inept, I hastily explained my background of nurses having trouble finding my veins and how this nurse found it on the first try. The walking by nurse said "Oh, well, she's good" and I told my nurse "Good job" and that indeed, she was good. And - had I felt better, I would have continued with how she was a credit to the nursing profession, but they ushered me to the check-out counter. As a friend of mine later told me, I got a good "sticker."

Tomorrow I am attemping a full day of work. Pray for me - I think I can make it through.