A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
Have you ever felt like that? I can only think of one other time besides the past few days I’ve felt like that. I was in Fallujah and came down with the nastiest stomach bug I’ve ever felt. For three days, it was nothing but quick sprints to the makeshift latrine and periods of being balled up on the floor trying to overcome the extreme pains in my stomach as if something menacing were trying to claw its way out like an old science fiction movie. The pain was incredible and I just kept wishing that one of those errant mortars would land on me and just finish it! Thankfully, my wishes didn’t come through and I recovered. While I didn’t quite get to that point these past couple of days, I did get close.
On Tuesday, I woke feeling a little weird but unaware that anything was really wrong. I got up at 0515, got dressed and headed to PT. I do PT starting between 0530 and 0600 so I can get done by 0700 and get to work by 0800. It was an upper body strength day so I started my workout of bench presses and flys. At first, I just thought I was having an “off” day. In between sets I had felt the need to drink more water than usual. Then, I went for a run.
By the time I was about a mile and a half out, it hit me. My stomach started cramping up. Suddenly, my military training kicked in and I was doing a terrain analysis to figure out the best way back to home base with the most “support” in case of an emergency (I’m trying not to get disgusting while using a sense of humor). It took me forever to get back to the car where I just sat for about 30 minutes.
By the time I got home, the feeling was worse. I took my time getting ready for work and finally made into the office by about 0830. I took my motorcycle in because Emily needed the van. I had to work on Tuesday because my training schedules are due each Tuesday for what we’re doing six weeks out. I also had to solve some issues with one of my NCOs traveling to watch one of our Soldiers graduate from the Air Assault course. By the time I was done with the training schedule and did what I could, I was pretty much fading fast.
The commander told me to go home and reluctantly went. I called Emily to come pick me up because I couldn’t trust myself to ride my motorcycle home the way I was feeling. I tried helping another NCO with her travel voucher and just couldn’t concentrate at all and just had to excuse myself. For the rest of the day, I just laid in bed tossing and turning, trying to sleep through pain. I couldn’t keep anything down, to include water. That evening I decided to swallow my pride and asked Emily to take me to the ER. Figuring out how to handle the kids and make the trip became difficult, so I told her not to worry about it and we’d just go to sick call in the morning (provided I lived that long, hehe!). I don’t get sick that often, so when I do, I’m a big baby about it. Thankfully, I have a loving, doting wife who treats me much better than she is treated when she’s sick!! She deserves so much better.
Anyway, yesterday morning I went to sick call and spent two hours there trying to figure out what was wrong with me. They probably took my vitals 30 times. I won’t go into my sick call frustrations (they wanted me to make an appointment?!). I called the commander and he said take it easy and come back to work on Tuesday. We have a four day pass this weekend to honor the MLK holiday. So, that made me feel terrible. I hate missing work, especially when it’s coupled with a holiday. I get the feeling I’m getting over on something. It’s Thursday morning and I’m feeling somewhat better. I tried eating for the first time this morning. My stomach is still irritated and adjusting to not having food for more than two days. But, I think I’ll be over it today or tomorrow, whatever it is.
Thank goodness for Alabama and it’s beautiful creatures to keep me company. These Cardinals visit my back yard each day to eat our seeds. The pictures aren’t perfect because I took them through window glass and screens.
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paulette
Awwww….gosh CJ, I hope you feel better soon.
Kat in GA
Aw, CJ – i know EXACTLY how you feel, literally. That same thing clobbered me the day after christmas… I was tired at work all day, but by the time I got back to the park & ride in the evening, I didn’t make it far from the bus to my car before I was on the ground puking. That lasted 24 hours, and then a week more of “other” indignities… it was still two weeks before I felt normal-ish again.
And now that that’s gone, i’ve got a cough that won’t go away.
Feel free to shoot me at any time, PLEASE!
Chad
“Suddenly, my military training kicked in and I was doing a terrain analysis to figure out the best way back to home base with the most “support” in case of an emergency (I’m trying not to get disgusting while using a sense of humor).” – Is that like a Boy Scout with the “run throughs” in a forrest?
ZSU
isn’t that like a military person? Thinking of sharing moments of beauty captured with a camera while you were struggling to get your bod and mind back in shape after a debilitating illness.
The Cardinal pics are great. Is that snow upon which the red-feathered tenor is standing? On the bottom pic, it’s as though you could stroke the monitor and feel the breast-feathers softness.
Thanks a heap for sharing the beauty you observed.
Take care of yourself – hope you’re back feeling sassy and bushy-tailed real soon – - like now!!
Leta
Well…I’m definitely happy to hear that you are feeling MUCH better. And the Cardinals ARE gorgeous and I’m glad you shared those photos with us. But…you lead us through all of those painful hours and days of feeling like YUCK, the trip to sick call, etc. YET…no diagnosis. Geez CJ, are you, uh, expecting or sumthin?
Donna
CJ,
Anyway, I’m glad that you’re on the mend!
I hope that you get well really soon! A virus like that is terrible. I had one last winter similar to that. I was pucking and you know what at the same time. Fortunately it only lasted 24 hours which was plenty for me!
The cardinals are just beautiful, thanks for the pics!
MissBirdlegs in AL
Oh, CJ, I feel for you. Stomach bugs are hideous – then you’re shaky for days afterward. Had I known you already had a bug, I wouldn’t have sent you that one by e-mail.
Hope you’re feeling better tonight & can enjoy your long weekend. Emily also has my sympathy…
The pics are great. Cardinals are so pretty and I always think they know it. Doesn’t look as if you got as much snow as we did. We had about an inch. Someone at the local post office had built a snowman about 2 ft. tall and it was still there this AM. Cute!
yankeemom
Glad to hear you survived your icky sick! And of course you would feel bad about missing work ~ that’s our CJ.
I was sorry when I heard you weren’t able to make it to Andrea Shea King’s show with Buzz Patterson. I was looking forward to your comments about the NYT hit piece on the military.
Glad your back in the swing of things.
Miriam
Stomach flue’s are terrible. Take it easy as you go back to work, CJ, and really get better!
DoubleTapper
I had a series of bouts of dysentery while in the military and lost 46lbs in about 2 months.
Be careful and take it easy.