Big Friday Surprise

The last two consecutive Fridays, I've been waylaid by two of the most severe bouts of food poisoning I've ever experienced.  It seems like every 5-10 years I have to suffer one of these ordeals, but getting hit twice in one week constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. It pretty much turned each of the last two Fridays and Saturdays into a living hell played out against the backdrop of COVID and keeping my store up and running on some of our busiest shopping days this year.  
 

Somehow, I was able to stagger through the first couple of hours each day until my help arrived without shitting my pants, but it got real close.  I now know that face masks and nausea are a bad combination, as all I wanted was unfiltered fresh air and to not feel claustrophobic.  
 

Like other experiences with food poisoning, the symptoms eased by the third day, and by last Monday, I was running solid and feeling much better, if a little worn from basically not eating for three days.   I probably pushed it a little too hard trying to make up for lost production time, but never in my life did I expect to get hit with a double whammy exactly one week later.  Round 2 was even more intense.   No fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and after the 2-3 day window of hell passed, my energy levels are rapidly improved.

Really appreciate the efforts of my staff, as we were swamped with business.  I also had a few persistent sellers who wanted me to look at their stuff.  In retrospect, it's kind of funny, but in the moment, they seemed like evil demons.   "What's a good time to schedule to come in?"  I don't know, when I'm not pooping my brains out?

Yesterday was a good day, and I was able to take my car out for a nice drive to put a charge on my battery, eat 3 meals for the first time in a week, and enjoy some tasty nugs.  I learned all about the BRAT diet this week; Bananas, Rice, Apple Sauce and Toast.  Very effective.  Will not be revisiting the salad and lentil soup combo I had for lunch last Thursday for a while.  Let's just say the results were  explosive, and if I'd had a canvass, I would have been creating Jackson Pollack-inspired masterpieces.

It was great to feel my enthusiasm and a little Prankster spirit returning yesterday.  In some ways, I feel like I've come through some sort of vision quest, and the world is looking rosier.  I have a greater appreciation for a lot of things I usually take for granted.

Way back in, if I recall right, 1989, I got hit with another severe case of food poisoning right before the Grateful Dead's four show run at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.  I had to give away my tickets to the first three nights, but by night 4, I felt strong enough to drive up from Charlottesville for the show.  Someone I knew had access to one of the luxury boxes, which was a godsend, as I set myself up with drinking water and was able to sit and watch the show without dealing with all the usual controlled chaos of a show.  Go figure, it was the one and only time Bobby ever performed Little Willie John's "Fever" with the Grateful Dead.   One of those time's I felt like they were singing directly to me.

Between getting hit by a car while crossing the street in January, and this recent double dose of joy, 2021 has been kicking my ass so far, so here's to being able to enjoy a nice Roast Beef sandwich and no big surprises this Friday.