Sunday, January 27, 2008

Fever dreams

Thanks, everyone, for all the get well wishes! Y'all are the best!

I still felt pretty crummy today, but we had an easy day at work, and my coworkers (they're pretty cool, too) had no problem with me cutting out an hour or so early. I foresee a nap in my very near future....

After my Alka Seltzer Plus wore off last night, I got kind of restless. I was sleeping, and apparently very soundly, because I had very odd and vivid dreams. Does that happen to anyone else when they're sick? I don't know if there's a bit of fever going on that makes your mind do crazy things, or if the cold medicine makes you loopy, or what, but it can sure result in some strange dreams for me. I don't remember most of them from last night...just weird little bits and pieces, such as looking at a scrapbook that had a tiny pair of silver cat-eye glasses on one page...I broke them...a screened porch on a house...trying to put on a pair of nylons and having a hard time of it...all very disjointed and bizarre, but very vivid.

At least I didn't have the dream--more of a nightmare, actually--I used to have when I was a kid. Whenever I was sick, I would have this horrible dream that someone was throwing something huge and heavy to me, and I had to catch it. I never knew what the consequences were if I didn't catch it, but I knew I just HAD to. After I caught it, I would struggle and toss it back...then they would throw it back to me, and I would have to catch it again. It seemed to get heavier each time it came my way, and I after several exchanges like that, I would wake up in a sweat, horribly anxious and scared. I'm sure it sounds terrifying (a little sarcasm there), but for some reason, it really was an awful dream. As soon as it started, I would have this horrible feeling of dread come over me, because I knew what would happen--it would just keep getting heavier.

As I got older, I sort of figured out that it was probably because I was feeling so congested and having a hard time breathing...like something heavy was sitting on my chest. Once I figured out where it was coming from, it seemed like I didn't have that dream anymore. It's been years since I had it. Now watch...writing about it has conjured it in my mind, and I'll have it tonight! Noooooo! Not the Heavy Thing Nightmare! I suppose that laughing about it helped a bit to get it out of my head, too!

Thinking of this made me remember one of my Mom's remedies when I had a sore throat or was coming down with a cold. She would rub BenGay on my neck, then fasten either an old sock or a cloth diaper--I can't recall which it was--around my neck with a safety pin. Okay, let's clear up a couple things right off the bat. It was a CLEAN sock and/or diaper. And she fastened the cloth together with a safety pin, she did not pin the cloth to my flesh. Just wanted to clarify! The menthol smell of the BenGay seemed to help me breathe, and it was warm on my neck, and it always seemed to make me feel better. Or maybe it was just that I knew Mom was taking care of me.

Maybe next time I feel sick I should try that...if nothing else, it would be quite a stylish fashion statement, don't you think?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very Styling!  Careful with the BenGay or it could be the couch for you :o)

Anonymous said...

Awwww Beth sorry you are still feeling crummy, when I have had the flu before I have had weird dreams too, interesting, hope you feel better, Hugs Lisa

Anonymous said...

Sounds very sexy!
Traci

Anonymous said...

Hope you're feeling lots better today.  We all know how miserable a cold can be and it's worse when you have to be at work! :(

Anonymous said...

My grandmother would slather us with Vicks Vapo-Rub, and the fumes were so strong that we couldn't keep our eyes open so we had to fall asleep.  Then she'd swipe her finger in the Vicks and give it to us orally!  I didn't know until many years later that it is not to be ingested!  Hmmm, that might explain a lot of things!
xoxo ~Myra

Anonymous said...

Myra, I've talked to other people that have said that they ate Vicks VapoRub. While it sounds extremely unappealing to me, it also sounds like there is nothing harmful in the stuff if you ingest it.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

Beth

Anonymous said...

It wasn't Ben-Gay but Vicks. If the lung infections get really bad, Do will help put Vicks around my side and back for me. Trust me your not moving a whole lot to be able to do it yourself......I have to admit this is the first time I ever heard of a Heavy thing dream (winks)..but it does make sense. Hope your feeling better soon hon! (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Do-Doc, I'm sure you would of figured that one out. Yeah I'm over doing the brain lately. (Hugs) Indy

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Indy!

{{Beth}}

Anonymous said...

hi beth!

i'm glad you're feeling better, too!  it was interesting to re-read about your heavy thing nightmare -- i forgot that you used to have that dream a lot.  that brought to mind the recurring dream i used to have as a little boy.  i always dreamed that, while sleeping in that little room off to the side of the living room at grandma and grandpa's house, a ghost would come in through the breezeway, through the kitchen, and then into the room where i was sleeping -- he would snatch me up and take me away.  i never did find out where the apparition took me.  i never analyzed the dream too much, but i have not had it for several years.

incidentally, don't you think "heavy thing nightmare" would be a great name for a band?

Anonymous said...

my grandma did the same thing with the cloth and Vick's. You then had to lay on your back which made it all a big pain in the butt, lol.
I hope you got that nap and do not feel crummy anymore.

lisa

Anonymous said...

I hope you get to feeling better soon Beth..by the way i am Lyn..I have been reading you for a while now and just realized i have never commented!! so hi there!
Lyn
http://journals.aol.com/ukgal36/Britsblog/

Anonymous said...

Welcome, Lyn! Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you commented! I'll check your journal out ASAP.

Hi Shane! You're right, Heavy Thing Nightmare IS a good band name! Has a sort of Strawberry Alarm Clock or Chocolate Watch Band ring to it. <grin> I think I remember you telling me about your ghost dream. Hmm...maybe it was your wish to have your sickness "spirited away," or to be removed from feeling sick. Just a guess, though. Maybe we can get Dr. Will on the case!

Love ya!
Beth