Gatorade and Chicken Broth

Just wanted to let everyone know that I’m alive and getting better.

This thing came on me Tuesday morning, with what felt like a bad head cold. That afternoon, the stomach cramps started – intense stabbing spasms just below my ribcage, a new one every few minutes, getting worse as the day went on. We both spent the evening wondering if I’d end up in the hospital before the week was out. I didn’t have a fever or any other secondary symptoms of a serious problem, just the cramps, or else we would have been in the ER.

Yesterday wasn’t as bad. I still couldn’t eat anything without getting pounded with more cramps, but the cramps I had were shorter, less intense and farther in between. By early yesterday afternoon we were hoping I’d be good enough to still make it to my own birthday party over at the Jepsons’ that night, but when 4pm rolled around and I still couldn’t sit up for 15 minutes without doubling over again, we decided I needed to stay in bed.

Last night I started taking in Gatorade and chicken broth, more or less my first meal in 48 hours. No cramping. Then I had a good nights sleep and I’m on Gatorade this morning. My stomach still feels off, like it wants to cramp but hasn’t gotten around to it yet; I’m hoping to start graduating back to solid foods later today. But at least I’m up and more or less working again.. right now the general consensus is that I got some sort of stomach bug.

Thanks to everyone who passed along their concerns, worries, and most of all, good advice. And especially thanks to the wonderful woman I married, who hovered over me for the last few days to make sure I got back on the mend and didn’t do anything stupid. I love you, babe.