Where Feeling Normal Makes Me Look Weird

I’ve been out of town for the last two weeks and while I should write a post detailing the absolute thrilling joy that traveling across the country with RA can be, I thought I’d devote a little time to what I did yesterday instead as it reminded me of something that I think we all sometimes forget.

I totally enjoy being sick now when it has nothing to do with RA.  Weird, right?

I’ve been battling a cold that has settled into my sinuses for over a week now and it’s been glorious.

I’m serious, folks!

I’m sick, yes. I’m coughing.  I’m sneezing.  I’m nauseous and even threw up once.  I’m dizzy.  I’m exhausted.

BUT IT’S A NORMAL COLD! THAT’S TURNING INTO A NORMAL SINUS INFECTION!  THAT RESPONDS TO NORMAL MEDICATION!

I went to the doctor the other day and there was no scratching of the head in confusion over what’s going on with me.  I went to the pharmacy to fill my prescription and there was no pharmacist dying to talk to me about crazy side effects OR giving me the pitying why is she on that look. And OH MY GOD, normal illnesses have NORMAL CO-PAYS!  Oh how I miss those! To think that I got to go to a pharmacy and for once, it did not make my bank account cry.  HAPPY. DANCE. I told my friends what was going on; they all nodded in true understanding and we shared war stories.

And then I did something very unlike me.

I took yesterday off.  I totally called out sick.  I NEVER do that.  Heck, I rarely ever take vacations!  And the kicker…my Blackberry was down most of the day so not only could I not work on my couch but NOBODY COULD CALL ME WITH DUMB QUESTIONS.

I had a wonderful, albeit a stuffy nosed, day in pajamas, glasses, and no makeup.  There was no cooking- I broke diet and even ordered a pizza. I watched a movie in bed with my furchild. I did a moisturizing mask for my face. I did my eyebrows (I now have two again, it was getting bad!), AND I used my new paraffin wax treatment kit and pampered my hands and feet.

I still don’t feel great…but isn’t it nice…yet weird…the ways in which we sometimes can feel normal?