Quarantined in the fog

As the fever intensified through the night and I began vomiting this morning, I realized this was more than a cold. I called my physician’s advice nurse, and she told me Portland is having a massive outbreak of flu, more than at any other time in the past twenty years. It’s a strain of flu that was not covered by this year’s flu vaccine, and it often leads to a low-grade fever that hangs on for two weeks and leaves people weak and depleted. She suggested I quarantine myself for a full two weeks in order not to spread my germs and feed the outbreak. Once the fever stops and there’s no more nasal discharge, I can resume seeing other people if I have the energy for it; but so long as I have either fever or congestion, I should maintain myself as a hermit. 

I’m doing that. So far, Sue reports no symptoms. The children seem to be OK. Fingers crossed.

I could treat you to two weeks of the view out my window and my feverish ramblings, but I think instead I’ll see you on the other side. Thank you for your wonderful warm wishes, your jokes, your kind suggestions, and your quips. I’ll keep on following your lives, as I’ll have none of my own to speak of.