Seems our community is being over-loaded with the seasonal colds and flu. At least over half of the people I’ve encountered these past days are either coming down with something, sweating thru something, or getting over something. I think part of it was the early arrival of the bitter cold and then in later days, it started warming up to above normal temperatures. They say that there are generally more people catching something contagious when the winter temps are above normal rather than being normal for the time. Likely the freezing temperatures help to keep the germs from spreading.
I spent some time last week with a client of mine in a large building with a giant centralized heating and cooling system, and to my surprise both of us came down with colds. I’m wondering if these centralized systems help in the spread of colds and flu. There was a home that I had listed some years ago that had an attachment on the furnace where every time the furnace would kick on, the machine would start running. I believe it was an ultra-violet air purifier that was created to help kill any and all germs that moved thru the airflow. I asked the owners about it and they said they believed it really worked because they rarely came down with anything contagious.
I’ve also noticed yet again how people who are not feeling well are just a bit more trying than normal and find myself having to accommodate for it when working with them. I spoke with a younger gentleman several days ago about his second bout with severe pneumonia. He was to the point where one of his lungs collapsed and needed surgery. I insisted he be extra careful so to keep up his resistance as well as become more precautionary with his health. I had a chat with a worker tonight who is likely coming down with something and asked that she take it a bit easier with work in order to keep up the strength to fight off infection. One of the ageless tonics for getting well faster is simply making sure you get enough rest. I’m not saying we should make ourselves bedridden, but to cut back on trying to work as if there is nothing wrong with our bodies.
I’ve noticed one of the big culprits in getting oneself down either mentally or physically is stress. I remember too well a woman with whom I worked with many years ago who had an overwhelmingly time sensitive job and did the work of likely two people. She appeared to be sick more than well. I can’t imagine allowing a job to have that great an effect one’s overall health. I asked a young man this evening about how his new job is doing and he said it was getting better now that he started realizing that he can’t please everyone all the time. I mentioned in a light way a favorite that someone once told me and it went something like this, “I finally got over being paranoid when I came the the realization that the world really is out to get me.” So cute yet it places a bit of perspective on how we react to the workings and movements of the world around us.
If we don’t take care of the most important person in our lives, then who will? I don’t think anyone really likes being sick other than those who have a few mental issues. The title of this piece is German for “Being in the state of sickness”. If I would’ve used “illness” as the title, likely no one would have read it. Right?
