Oof

In the end, I fell right into that cold that I'd hoped to avoid. I hung on through Wednesday, got the exams administered and even found the energy to conduct a whole day of classes including one in which I was "observed" by a master teacher.  Not long after that class, I held a meeting, then went home and succumbed.  I'm not in the habit of canceling classes because I don't feel well; there has to be a compelling reason, and even then I move heaven and earth to meet my students.  This cold, however, had me so down I canceled all classes and meetings two days in a row and stayed home.

What did I do with all of that time?  I sat up on the couch, covered with a blanket, a hot drink at my elbow, and blew my nose.  I watched a DVD but can't remember what it was.  Most of the time I just sat and tried not to drown. On Friday afternoon I felt good enough to go with the Emperor to get more medicine, but by the time I went home I was bushed.  Just that little bit of effort had me lightheaded, so I didn't feel too bad about not holding class.

Meanwhile, I had a stack of exams and one more set of essays that needed grading, thus adding to my misery.  Just the simple state of being that far behind my work was making me feel worse, so I picked up a stack and thought I'd carve through the simple sections and see if that helped.  It helped enough that I actually finished two sets!  One more stack, plus that set of essays, and I'll be caught up.

While so sick, I did not knit or crochet one stitch, nor did I string one bead.  I just hung on.

If I go back to work right now, I can finish early enough to possibly enjoy a few hours of guilt-free time this evening, and have a good night's sleep.  It sounds like a plan.