Good news: I didn't die. I've regained the use of my hands and legs and gotten back to work. It's been ages since I've laid in bed all day and read a book . . . I read The Book Thief, and loved it. It had the same quality as The Invisible Wall with all its hopefulness in a small community during a war, but was better written, with lovable, colorful characters and the intriguing narrator--Death. "I am haunted by humans," Death says. Ooh. He's haunted by us because despite it all, so many of us never give up hope, and we cling to each other's stories to borrow hope that may be lacking in our own stories.My inspired visiting teacher diagnosed my illness: Fifth Disease. It's a childhood disease nicknamed "Slapped Cheek Syndrome" that can almost go unnoticed in children except for the tell-tale rash on the face. In adults it makes you feel like you have arthritis and a whole-body allergic reaction. Bingo. Graham had it first (I realize now in retrospect) and it's been going around the neighborhood.
Why is it that I feel so much better having a name and general description for my sickness? I guess I'm like that with most things. Just tell me what I'm up against, and I can make myself ready for the task. Give me a problem with no name or end in sight, and I fall apart. I guess giving something a name feels good because it implies that another person in the world shares the experience of whatever it is with you. I imagine Adam and Eve felt much better once they gave names to all the beautiful things around them in the Garden of Eden, so they could talk about them together. I also imagine one of the first orders of business when they were cast out of the Garden was naming the weeds. Once they had names, maybe they didn't seem so daunting.
And speaking of weeds . . . we have a lot of them. And dirty laundry, cluttered spaces, and a party to prepare for tomorrow at our house. So I better stop blogging and get to work. Too bad you can't get Fifth Disease twice. I'd take more Tylenol and enjoy my book more next time around.
3 comments:
I liked the book thief too. I'm glad that have been diagnosed and are on the mend!
So glad you're feeling better! I've never even heard of fifth disease, crazy!
luvs, aby
oh man, kiddo! i am sure sorry to hear about your mysterious illiness but i can totally understand what you mean about feeling relieved to have it given a name. believe me you, i have had too many unexplained illinesses myself...remember my giant swollen, hard as a rock and painful as hell salivtory gland? i still get it, btw. it used to be every year but now it's more like every other year and still no explainations for it just the old "you have an abnormally shaped gland is all we can figure." don't forget my swollen knee that has to be drained every couple of years. anyway, as i was saying i can relate to wanting more of an explaination....but i cannot relate my dear to the amount of suffering this fifth's disease crap has been given you. i am overjoyed to know you are doing better.
oh, and i sooooo loved The Book Thief! We read it a while back for my book club and a couple people were confused by that final statement made by death about how he is haunted by humans. i thought it was most profound thing Death could have said! it's quite ironic as well since we humans might say the same thing about Death. after all when something haunts us it is because we can't figure it out or completely understand it, it's a mystery that never lets our minds rest at ease, kind of like your little disease there. an interesting choice to read during your time of sickness!
love you to death but i am very glad you didn't die:)
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