All my life I’ve never really suffered from colds or the flu. My Mum said I had the measles as a young boy and I had chicken pox in my 20’s but that’s about it. The first sign of a cold, during my days of using drugs (clean over 3 and a half years now), I’d hit the weed really hard and the cold would be gone.
Just over a week ago, I started to suffer the worst fevers and chills I’ve ever had. I’ve never had anything like this before. I took myself off to the ER and the doctor said it was probably just some virus and I would be better in a couple days. A couple days came and went and I was continually having these high fevers, aches and pains in the joints and sweating profusely. The only thing that would settle me down temporarily was paracetamol.
Two days later, I took myself to the ER again and after a five hour wait, I got put in a bed and waited a total of 13 hours and still hadn’t seen a doctor. I discharged myself and went to my local GP who sent me off for blood tests thinking I may have had glandular fever or some other kind of virus like Ross River fever, a mosquito borne disease.
I missed the Battle of the Bands gig I’d been going to on a regular basis on the Wednesday night and missed an overnight trip interstate because my GP advised against flying, the first time I would have ever been on a plane.
I never did hear back from my doctor about what the blood tests showed but I’m finally on the mend, seven days after my initial fever. I’m feeling very lethargic and slowly starting to get my appetite back but what I proved to myself is that I don’t need drugs (weed) to get over being sick. Things like viruses need to run their course and all I can do is treat the symptoms.
It just confirms that living a clean, healthy life, boosting my immune system with good food and exercise is way better than living a drug fueled life. There’ll be more gigs and more opportunities to fly on a plane again. My health and my clean and sober lifestyle will always be my priority.
