In The End

I left work early yesterday because I felt like crap. I ended up puking off and on from 2-5 AM Thursday morning, but I dragged my butt into work anyway. After spending a better part of the morning complaining of being colder than usual and barely keeping myself awake, I struggled to eat some of the greasy chicken for lunch that was ordered from the local gas station. If that weren't enough, the lead auditor commented that when his daughter complained of being cold the way I did, he'd tell her to go outside to warm up. I took the hint after lunch and went to my car to get warm. 30 minutes later, I awoke in the car (in 95 degree weather) feeling temperature ok but physically exhausted. I went back to the audit room and dozed on and off at the table. Finally my brother Scott said, "Why don't you go home? You didn't feel well when you got here and haven't gotten any better all day. You may be coming down with something." I took his advice and packed up my stuff to go home.

I got to my car and sat in the driver's seat for a minute, savoring the warmth of the sunlight. When I woke up 30 minutes later, I realized this wasn't just me feeling cold. I was definitely feeling something more because everything in my body ached and the 95 degree temperature left me feeling "pretty good" as opposed to the "sweaty" I should've felt. I started up the car and started driving. At first I thought I should get someone to drive me home, but then thought I could make the 12 minute drive home. I weaved in and out of traffic like a drunk woman most of the way, and wasn't too startled until I awoke to the sound of the horn of an oncoming truck just minutes away from my home. As soon as I got in the door I stripped and crashed into bed thinking, "I'm just tired." It wasn't until I awoke 4 hours later from sleep littered with chills and sweats that I decided to check my temperature. 101.5. Yep, I had some kind of stomach flu. I took some Nyquil and drifted in and out of sleep on the couch in front of the t.v. for the rest of the night. If I hadn't been medicated, I probably wouldn't have answered the phone when the SJA called. Thankfully he could tell I wasn't feeling well and didn't talk too long. He called to share that he's doing a special assignment that will likely lead to a promotion & relocation to corporate. And to think that I took this job to have the kind of assignment I've spent the last year suffering through and to get away from him, just to find that my next move might actually bring us back to living in the same town. I shuddered at the thought!

After doping up again this morning, I returned to work today feeling about 90% recovered, and we closed the audit with a few minor findings. I'm glad it's all over (both the audit and the virus thing). I hope I never have to go through either one like that again. In the end, I've learned 3 very important things over the last year:

1. No matter how okay you might think you are, never drive when incapacitated.
2. No matter how painful the journey, you'll always make it to the end (both in work and in relationships).
3. Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.