The reign of the micro-organisms

Do you know that a virus is not even, technically, 'alive'? It's more like a scary, virtually indestructible, machine that operates in response to triggers from it's environment and can't really do anything without a host. I don't know the technicalities of why it's not 'life' but this little piece of 'it's not really even life!' info must have impressed me when I discovered it while studying microbiology. In my opinion microbes are the most powerful thing on earth, probably more powerful than love. If bacteria, viruses and protozoa had a brain and decided to take out the human race, they could do it. You know all those 'civilisation wiped out by a mutant microbe' movies like 'Resident Evil' and 'I am Legend' (and 'Shaun of the Dead' *snort*) where an infectious virus turns the population into man-eating zombies? Yeah.. that did actually happen to me. Well, not the flesh-eating bit (yet!), but the pasty face, stagger, groan, inability to converse. It's all there. Obviously, today my zombie abilities have advanced to computer work, which indicates I might be reverting to human Sara. That would be a good thing. I'll know for sure once my appetite returns.

I've been writing somewhat whiny posts for the last month or so. 'I'm tired', 'My throat hurts', 'I'm skipping training', that sort of thing, you may have noticied but been too nice to say anything. Then over the weekend, those little 'come and go' advance virus scouts decided to move in all their friends and declared my body to be virus party central. I dragged my sweaty, feverish, achy self off to the doctor and she took a bunch of tests, prescribed me an antibiotic and sent me home to the joys of non-stop Crime and Investigation Channel. Sometimes I switch to 'E - Entertainment Network. I think I need more forensic tv in my life. It's fabulous.

I called the doctors office for the test results Tuesday morning. My doctor had previously told me that she was sure my iron levels were low, but the nurse said they were ok (good), but that this needs to be tested because there were other serious abnormalities in my blood that suggested my body is fighting a viral infection (bad.. also, no kidding). Then she said my platelets are low and it all needs to be tested again in two weeks once I'm a bit better. Also, the iron count can't be trusted because for some reason it gives a false high when you are infected with something. This morning, after 5 days of just getting worse, I reluctantly booked another doctors appointment and this doctor took one look at my blood test and said that it's clear I have glandular fever, which for you Americans, is 'mono'. The protocol is to rest, drink water, take painkillers, avoid rubbing those protruding lymph glands (so interesting, look at my lumpy neck!) and wait it out for a few WEEKS, or if I'm unlucky, a few months. As she was saying this, I was mentally processing. You've got to be kidding me? I have two businesses, and study, and run around after my family, I can't be sick for weeks! months?? Make me better! Zap me with a magic anti-epstein-barr virus thingy! I probably would have cried, except, that requires energy.

Once I got home and calmed myself I realised that I don't need to panic and be such a drama queen. I DO need to manage my life a bit better. My body has been giving me 'slow down' signals for a long time, but I didn't. I have an oversensitive guilt complex and when it comes to work I have issues with not being there. I just persisted, even though many days I wasn't exactly productive (I believe the newly coined word for this is 'presentee-ism') and so I learned the hard way that the message progresses from 'slow down' to 'slow down' to 'slow dowwwwn' to 'ok, STOP now you crazy woman'. I've started researching what the field of natural medicine has to offer in the treatment of Glandular Fever and I've also emailed a bunch of pesky questions to a naturopath that I know. There are a number of natural anti-virals, like olive leaf, available and then there is the other task of building up my embattled immune system with the right vitamins and minerals. I'm interested in investigating Lysine, which seems to be of use in treating viral diseases. The Lysine is interesting and answers a question I already had in my mind about why formulations high in Arginine could cause cold-sores (not exactly a way to get repeat customers). I got a tip from a very experienced formulator in Aussie that adding an equal amount of Lysine into the formulation would stop this happening. Today I learned that Arginine turns up the activity of the herpes virus and Lysine calms it down. It's little discoveries like this one that keep me going in this industry... ;)