A letter of love

It's now been over 30 days since I felt ill with glandular fever.  Upon hearing the diagnosis, I cried, knowing that my second bout of the disease (a rare quinella  - woohoo, not) would be not fun. But, let me tell you about some of the things I've learnt:

• Being alone: My deepest fear as a singleton is getting sick and dying alone. Maybe it's optimistic to think this would be different to now, but through the 30 days I have never been alone. Well, never really been *lonely*, alone I have a lot. That's because. 
• Human contact: It's wonderful to have the ferrets, particularly Happy, who follows me around the house and lies nearby. But he's not human. Someone has contacted me to check how I am every single day after the first few days (when I just thought I was sick with the flu). Often one of my church friends. These contacts have meant so much, particularly when I've been so weary, washing up or having a shower has become a major life event. People have come over and visited, bringing their kids, mostly delighting with the ferrets. I've even had one of my church friends come over and change my dead plants outside my window so I could look at some live plants! I didn't think dead plants mattered, which is why I hadn't bothered, but it turns out when you're feeling dead and lying constantly on your bed it's a pretty depressing sight 
• Meals: My friends at church organised a meal roster, after I'd exhausted my supply of frozen meals and I also had friends from work bring food. My close girlfriends group organised a Youfoodz voucher, so when the meal roster ended I have been able to order food for another week without cooking. I'm continuing with Youfoodz after that week as my energy is still weak and Youfoodz is a healthy and not too expensive option, that doesn't require eating frozen meals. I'm a bit sick of frozen meals! The meal roster was great for company - having people pop in but also for the extra treats - the chocolate, the brownies, the protein balls, the little messages of love! They've been great. Even my friend who spent $30 on a beautiful "heat in the oven chicken" family meal (because she doesn't cook). Oops you left the price tag on! 
• Chores: I have had friends go shopping for me and offer to clean my bathroom. You know someone loves you when they offer to clean your bathroom! Thankfully I was able to summon the energy to that myself!  And after a meal with my friend E, she even washed up. 
• Entertainment: No sooner than I put out the call for entertainment (I don't have enough internet for streaming options, and I ended up spending an additional $70 on internet in the month of Feb-March) than I had over 100 DVD's ready to watch. It turns out I'm a bit over romantic comedies, and while I loved The Newsroom, it was hard to concentrate. So what's been my watching of choice? Well, I'm halfway through the fourth season of Scrubs! I've watched the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and just finished the third book of that series (I'm buying them but it's so worth it).  I'm completely in love with this series and these books.  And I've watched a couple of other films but it turns out the light hearted comedy and pace and silliness of Scrubs has been perfect. 
• Energy: For some psychologically weird reason, I'm not really able to sit still normally.  But I've had to.  I've not been able to move much -  so sitting, reading, watching. That's been my life for most of the past 30 days.  It's weird. Your life still continues if you don't fill it with stuff! A typical week for me was:

1. Monday: Work, work bible study, work, gym, home 
2. Tuesday: Work, lunch with colleague or friend, work, swim maybe, bible study
3. Wednesday: Work, prep bible study, work, personal training, grocery shopping
4. Thursday: Work, choir, work, swim or gym
5. Friday: Work, boxing, work, something in the evening maybe
6. Saturday: Usually at least 2 things plus all the usual life admin
7. Sunday: Church (often early because I'm on music), swim, quick nap, girls' bible study, dinner with girls, evening church

• Now I'm aiming for less - less exercise (one swim a week :( instead of 2) or not going to the gym, a night at home without doing anything after work, less stuff on Sunday. 
• God: Living frantically, high stress job and constantly exercising has left me with a potentially chronic problem. I need to have rest times. I don't need to compete with people who work all the time, I need to rest. My body just ain't up for the level of work I expect from it. God is sending me a clear signal: "REST - I wasn't kidding about having a Sabbath Georgina!!!" so I'm going to try and not always say yes to things, and say no. 
• Saying no: One of the great things about glandular fever is, with the exception of my young Nepalese engineering neighbour, is people get it. They know you're exhausted. They're willing to give you concessions or understand things aren't perfect. This has particularly been the case at work. To be fair to my neighbour, I'm pretty sure Nepalese people don't face glandular in the same way. It turns out developing countries don't really tend to suffer from it in the same way - kids get it so young from poor hygiene that they are not hugely affected. It's the developed world where it strikes people badly in their teens and twenties (and perhaps, again, in their forties if they spend a month under extreme stress trying to juggle 3 people's jobs)
• Weight: I've got a lot more sympathy for my family members. It's very hard to eat well when food is all you have to look forward to. I've gained a few kilos :(
• Work: Yeah, so it turns out my job is REALLY hard to delegate. But possible. Just really hard. I cannot thank my colleague J enough and my leader J enough. Together they took the multi-changing 240 classes/95 leaders' timetables and performed miracles. I also am extremely grateful for my pastor and his wife, who counselled me to try and delegate the training days. That was possible. A lot of work. But possible. And it was a REALLY GOOD IDEA.
• Bible: It turns out the psalms are really helpful in times of weakness like this

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah