Tag Archives: sick

Feeling Blah

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Feeling Blah

Hello! Man, I don’t know about you guys but it has been a week for Lil Red. My lil niece was under the weather which resulted in me getting sick and to make matters worse, it was that time of the month on top of it! It has been a very stressful time in my life recently and I think that made whatever little bug I got from my niece even more debilitating because I was in a bad way. Due to all of the COVID safety precautions, I have not been sick in a really long time so this bout with the flu completely knocked me off my feet.

Being sick is always a bummer and, unfortunately, Johnny and I experienced another bummer to add to the overall blah feeling. We had viewed and applied for a home to rent and it was absolutely perfect. It was an ideal size, wonderful location, and a very cute little neighborhood. I felt so good about the impression that we made and was pretty confident that we would get approved to move in. I checked Trulia religiously after we applied and was crushed when I saw that it had been taken off of the market without us being contacted.

At the end of the day, not getting the house wasn’t a huge deal but it was definitely disappointing. It was just so nice and Johnny and I both loved it. Because of that and feeling confident about the possibility of moving in, I think I got a bit ahead of myself so seeing the house being taken off of the market felt like an even bigger blow. It also made me realize that finding a house to rent might be a lot harder than I had originally bargained for which sucks because I would really like to move out of the apartment!

Needless to say, it has been a blah time in Lil Red’s world but I think things will start turning around soon. A vent sesh on the ol’ blog always makes me feel better so thanks for listening to me complain, lol. Let the Trulia and Zillow searches commence…. again!

Do you have any tips for finding a house to rent? What makes you feel better when you’re feeling blah? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

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My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

Hello! The last two times I saw my sister this past week, my lil niece was feeling under the weather. While Kristen and her SO, Ramon, are immune to the “Toddler Flu” by now I, on the other hand, got hit with it hard. My niece was coughing and her little nose was running faster than she could and I just had a feeling I was going to get sick. And, man, was I right because I spent the entire past weekend in complete misery.

Kristen and Ramon have parent level immune systems and were A-okay while I felt like I was going to burst from all of the congestion. During my weekend, I tried to recoup with lots of Animal Crossing, My 600 Lb. Life, and forcing myself to drink disgusting tasting daytime flu medicine. Of course, I attempted to stay really hydrated too and had a glass of one of my go to “feeling sick” beverages handy at all times. We all have them and these are my top three:

Green Tea:

I don’t need to be sick to enjoy a hot or cold glass of green tea but it definitely hits different when you’re not feeling well! I worked through an entire carton of Arizona green tea in two days and tried to drink at least two cups of hot Salada green tea per day too. In my opinion, there is nothing more soothing than tea when you’re under the weather and the steam from the hot tea offered some relief for my clogged up sinuses. Needless to say, I am going to have to restock my supply next time I go grocery shopping.

Orange Juice:

You can’t go wrong with a cup of OJ when you have a cold for an extra dose of Vitamin C. I really don’t drink juice very often but I couldn’t get enough of it this past weekend. Call it wishful thinking or whatever you will but I did feel a bit better after a glass or two in the morning. It was also nice to drink something orange flavored that didn’t taste like battery acid like all daytime flu medicine does. Orange colored anything should never taste that disgusting!

Cream Soda:

When I was little, flat cream soda was my favorite drink during a stay home from school sick day. To this day, it still reminds me of my grandma because she always had a healthy supply at her funeral home and it was such a treat to have some! Johnny had a couple of bottles of IBC cream soda in the fridge and I couldn’t not partake in one of them to not only hit me right in the nostalgia but shake some of the blahs of the worst cold imaginable away. We all need a sweet treat every once in a while. 😀

Spending my weekend sick as a dog isn’t exactly what I had in mind but I did try to make the most of it! I was so thankful to my sweet bestie, Kate, of Live In The Nautical for video chatting with my miserable self and there is nothing that a nonstop My 600 Lb. Life marathon can’t fix, either. I raise my glass of OJ to both Kate and Dr. Now for helping get me through this dark time lol! ❤

What is your go to feeling sick beverage? What makes you feel better when you’re under the weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Hold My Beer

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Hold My Beer

Hello! Being self employed is super rewarding and there is nothing better than being your own boss. However, I do have one complaint: Taking time off sucks! When I am sick or going on vacation, I don’t get paid time off so I often end up running myself ragged until all of it catches up with me. Like last week, for example.

I’d like for all of us to take a minute to laugh at what I told Johnny when I returned home from work last Monday. I believe it went a little something like this: “I’m really not trying to take time off until Thanksgiving”. Then, the world said “hold my beer” and I ended up having to take the rest of the week off from being sick.

When I woke up on Tuesday, it was like a switch flipped on and “Sick Mode” commenced. Oh my, was I miserable. I had a hell of a sinus infection and all of the drainage going into my stomach made me nauseous to the point of throwing up. I was so tired constantly even though some nights I slept for close to twelve hours. Needless to say, there was no way I was going into work.

It honestly took falling sick and feeling so yucky for me to realize that I need to be far more generous with my time off – even if I’m not getting paid for it. My health should always come first, especially in COVID times and I can’t take care of my clients or myself properly when I am so worn out and going for months on end without a week day or two off.

Being the CEO to two thriving businesses has its perks. I love making my own schedule, being one hundred percent in control of everything, and only having myself to answer to. But, being the boss also means knowing when an employee needs a break and I plan on being much more accommodating to that from here on out.

I’ll tell you what, being sick and all alone in my apartment while Johnny is at work is for the birds. And not having my parents take care of me like back in the day when I was under the weather is for the birds too. So, here’s to less days off from being sick and more days off for pure fun and relaxation. Let’s get it!

How do you keep sane while self employed? How did you spend your last day off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Cleaner Home For A Healthier You

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A Cleaner Home For A Healthier You

It’s no secret that most people want to maintain a clean home. No matter how hard you work on this side of your life, though, there won’t be much point if you’re not using the right tools, methods, and techniques to ensure that your place doesn’t just look clean, but is also hygienic. It’s easy to make something look good, but viruses like COVID-19 can’t be seen by the human eye, and they can last for a very long time on the surfaces and objects found within your home. Let’s take a look at some of the steps that can be taken to overcome an issue like this. This has been split into the rooms you use, making it easier to get started with the right methods in the right places:

The Kitchen:

Kitchens are spaces that have to be clean. With food preparation being the main purpose of a room like this, you could easily find you and your family members experiencing health issues if you’re not working hard enough to clean it. There are a number of key areas that need to be focused on when you’re going through this, and you can find each of them listed below. It’s always worth making sure that you use chemicals that are both safe near food but strong enough to kill hardy bacteria and viruses.

Surfaces & Cupboards:

The surfaces in your kitchen are designed to make it nice and easy to prepare your food, but you have to make sure that they’re cleaned before you use them. Anti-bacterial sprays are perfect for this, with companies like Detol offering options that can safely clean your worktops. The same effort can be applied to your cupboards, too.

Fridges & Freezers:

Any appliance that is used for storing food needs to be kept extremely clean. This makes it well worth disinfecting your fridge on a weekly basis to ensure that you don’t have anything growing unseen. Alongside this, you can find special air fresheners that can help to remove any unwanted odors from your food bearing appliances.

The Oven:

Much like your fridge and freezer, it also makes sense to clean your oven from time to time. It will be much harder for bacteria and viruses to live in a place like this, with the extreme heat killing most of them off. Of course, though, this doesn’t mean that your oven shouldn’t be given the right kind of treatment.

The Bathroom:

Much like the kitchen, bathrooms can be very sensitive rooms. You will perform a range of different tasks in a space like this, and many of them will involve processes that have to be sanitary. Of course, though, alongside performing hygiene tasks in a room like this, you will also be using your bathrooms to get rid of waste, creating a challenge for those who want to keep this room as clean as can be. You can find some of the most crucial cleaning jobs you’ll have to perform in this room below.

The Toilet:

The toilet is probably one of the most obvious cleaning jobs you have in your home. The waste that goes into this vessel is extremely unsanitary, and this means that you will need a strong chemical like bleach to make sure that it’s hygienic. You can wash the whole toilet with bleach, though it’s worth making sure that you rinse it off where the skin will be touching the toilet.

Sinks, Baths, & Showers:

Alongside your toilet, you will also have sinks, baths, and a shower to think about when you’re cleaning your bathroom. It’s always worth making sure that these areas are kept clean, but you don’t have to scrub them as often as you’ll be working on the toilet.

Toothbrushes & Other Sanitation Tools:

Your toothbrush is an item that you will always want to keep clean, and it may shock you to know that many people live with their toothbrush very close to their toilet. Bacteria and viruses can travel through the air, making it well worth keeping your toothbrush somewhere that keeps it out of the line of sight of your toilet.

Communal Spaces:

The areas you share with your family and other housemates can quite easily become very dirty without the right care and attention, and these spaces are some of the most likely to aid in the spread of sickness. This makes it well worth spending the right amount of time cleaning these spaces. You can find a list of the tools and techniques you should use for this below, giving you everything you need to get started with it. Of course, though, communal spaces can be very different from one another, and this means you may need to apply your own ideas.

Tables & Other Surfaces:

Shared tables and other surfaces can be a hotbed for bacteria and viruses. Much like the surfaces in your kitchen, you should be disinfecting these places whenever they’re going to be used for food. Doing this as part of your regular cleaning routine can also be a smart idea.

Shared Tools:

Remote controls, computer keyboards, and other shared tools are another area to consider when you’re making your home more hygienic. Using anti-bacterial wipes to clean these elements of your communal spaces can be an excellent way to keep them sanitary, with each person giving them a wipe down before the next person uses them.

Carpets & Rugs:

Fabrics are surprisingly good environments for many bacteria and viruses to grow in, with moisture and food easily getting trapped between fibers. Professional carpet cleaning can be a great way to turn this around, giving you the chance to deep clean this part of your home without having to use harsh liquid chemicals on them.

Soft Furniture:

Alongside carpets and rugs, it’s also worth thinking about your soft furniture. As these are also made using fabrics, you will have to be careful to make sure that you’re cleaning them properly when people from outside your home use them.

The Bedrooms:

Having somewhere to sleep is crucial to normal life, and most people will get this done in their bedroom. It’s easy to neglect hygiene in a room like this, with many people only spending a small portion of each day in their bedroom. Of course, though, it’s well worth putting some time into this to make sure that you’re not going to make yourself sick. Children’s rooms should always be given extra consideration as you go through this, with your little ones finding it very difficult to keep up with cleaning after themselves.

Tables & Other Surfaces:

The tables and surfaces in the bedrooms in your home can be easy to ignore. Most people will spend very little time in rooms like this, but this doesn’t mean that they will be free from bacteria and viruses. You don’t need to give this space as much attention as you give the other parts of your home, but it’s worth using disinfectant from time to time.

The Bed:

Your bed can also play a role in this. Issues like bed bugs can cause major health issues, and leaving your bed dirty for long periods can be a good way to encourage them to find your home. Changing your sheets on a regular basis can help with this, but it’s also worth spending time cleaning your bed’s frame, too.

The Walls & Floors:

The walls and floors in your bedroom should also be cleaned on a regular basis, with carpets being vacuumed, and hard floors being mopped. The walls can be trickier to clean, and it’s usually best to be proactive with this. Whenever a mess is made, you should be ready to start cleaning.

This extra busy work will all be worth it. Keeping your home clean will make you feel better in day to day life, while also limiting the chances that you or your family members will get sick when they are at home. With issues like COVID-19 causing so many problems around the world, this sort of action could end up being essential in the future.

Thankfully, though, this article should give you everything you need to start making a difference, even if you absolutely hate cleaning. If you’d prefer to give this sort of work to someone else, there are plenty of cleaning companies out there that will happily do the job of cleaning your place. Though it’s always worth keeping in mind that this can end up costing quite a bit of money!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Weekend Update: Sick AF Edition

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Weekend Update: Sick AF Edition

Hiii everyone and happy weekend! You might have noticed that I haven’t been very active on my page this past week, even though I had posts publishing, cause pre-writing. And, that is because I came down with a really nasty bout of the flu. It. Was. Awful. What started out as an earache on Tuesday morning led to full blown incapacity by the early afternoon and I was completely down for the count.

We’re talking a fever that reached to 103 at its peak, a sore throat, an earache, chills, sweats, soreness all over, and not a snowball chance in hell of being able to eat anything. I would sweat so badly at night, that I’d wake up and see red all over my sheets because it made my hair color bleed! I am writing this post on Friday afternoon and am just now feeling semi-normal, even though the morning was really rough.

Because of my mom’s ongoing health struggles, I had to be quarantined to my bedroom for three days. This sucked on ice, because my room doesn’t have a TV! But, I was honestly so out of it that it didn’t even matter. Everything that I tried to do from taking a sip of water to swallowing much needed medicine caused me so much pain that there were points when I just started crying. It was totally and completely miserable.

But, after what felt like an eternity, I am finally back on the blogosphere and all I gotta say is thank gawd for pre-writing! I was so pleased when I discovered that all of my days away were covered because I had totally forgot! And, of course, I am so glad to be feeling better and back with all of you here on lifewithlilred. ❤

Feeling Blahhhhhhhh

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Feeling Blahhhhhhhh

Hiii everyone and happy weekend! Ugh, I don’t know about any of you guys, but I have been feeling so blah lately. I am in the process of getting over a flu/cold thingie that lingered on with me for a week and am now just trying to get myself back up to snuff. I had hot and cold flashes, a sore throat, a cold from hell, body aches, and – to top it off – I was on my period for part of it! Could it get any worse?!

During this agonizing week, I had a really hard time keeping up with my 10,000 steps per day walking regimen because I was so weak. And, now, after a week of feeling sluggish with some movement here and there when I was up to it, I am left feeling so blah about everything. The way my body looks, how I’m still feeling the effects of the sniffles from this blasted cold, and my severe lack of energy. Could it get any worse?!

I know that these feelings will pass, and I have been trying really hard to get myself back on track with my walking. But, I am having a hard time shaking away the post sickness blues, even with the lovely weather that Ohio is finally having. It’s been a lot of going through the motions for the past week, and feeling self conscious the entire time, so I am definitely looking forward to feeling back to normal soon so that I can start enjoying my days again.

Has anyone else been dealing with the blahs lately? How do you combat the post sickness blues? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sick As A Dog :(

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Sick As A Dog :(

Helloooooo. No offense to all of the beautiful dogs in the world, but I sure was sick as one this past week. From Friday until Monday I was suffering from a nasty sore throat, aches, fatigue, and nausea – it was seriously enough to make a grown man cry. And, because I turn into an overemotional mess while sick, cry I did. You seriously take your health for granted until you start feeling like a big bag of butts.

But, I am feeling much better, and now things are back to normal here on lifewithlilred! You just didn’t get to hear me complain about my disease ridden self because of a little thing called pre-writing. But, I promise that you weren’t missing out on much! How do you cure the winter flu? What are some of your tried and true home remedies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Warding Off Fresher’s Flu: Making It Through Your First Weeks Of College

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Warding Off Fresher’s Flu: Making It Through Your First Weeks Of College

Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people head away from home to study at a college of their choice. This is a brilliant opportunity. If you are heading away soon, you will have all sorts of wonderful things to look forward to: meeting new people, settling into new surroundings, and boosting your social life as you search for new friends. However, there’s one less positive thing that most students have to face: fresher’s flu. Here are a few pieces of information and knowledge that will allow you to deal with fresher’s flu in the best way possible:

What Is Fresher’s Flu?

So, what actually is fresher’s flu? While the term may not be medically recognized, the condition and symptoms are far from a myth. Essentially, “fresher’s flu” is the batch of illnesses that students are exposed to during the first few weeks of university. Symptoms can include shivering, dry fever, coughs, sneezes, headaches, grogginess, and blocked sinuses. This is obviously a less than ideal experience when you find that you are far from home and the comfort of your mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup. So what causes this mysterious condition? When a new term starts at university, people from all over the world arrive with pathogens to which they are immune, but others may not be. Unsurprisingly, the poor diet and alcohol consumption often associated with the first few weeks of college doesn’t help this situation, either.

Treatments:

Don’t worry if you do contract fresher’s flu. It’s not the end of the world. Most symptoms will fade out by themselves over time, but you can make things more comfortable and bearable for yourself in the meantime. Use a sinus treatment such as a nasal decongestant, have plenty of soft tissues at hand, take painkillers for headaches or discomfort, and take things easy until you’re feeling rearing and ready to go again.

Precautions:

While it’s highly likely that you’ll get a little ill at some point or another, you want to minimize your chances of getting and spreading the flu. You definitely don’t want to miss out on any of the exciting events or important lectures going on when you first arrive. A good start is to drink responsibly. Excessive drinking is never a good move, regardless of where you are. Remember to eat a healthy diet. Even if you aren’t used to preparing meals for yourself, you can still easily consume your recommended fruits and veggies a day at the salad bar in your student center.

Another tip that you might also want to opt for is shaking hands when greeting new people rather than hugging. This contact is less direct, and you are less likely to pick up germs or illnesses this way, especially if you carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you and clean your hands regularly. This may also be a good time to set down the ground rules of a shared kitchen or shared bathrooms. Request that people stick to their own crockery, cutlery, and glasses to reduce the spread of the flu blues.

Being aware of potential causes of sickness, how to avoid illness, and how to treat symptoms will ensure that your first few weeks at college are the best and healthiest possible!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Safeguarding Your Dog’s Health

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Safeguarding Your Dog’s Health

Looking after a dog is no easy task. Even if you’ve nailed the art of showing them love and affection, given that this part always comes naturally to dog lovers and owners, there’s still the practical aspect of looking after your dog to consider. Through no intentional fault, many dog owners make mistakes when it comes to looking after their fluffy little companion and might be neglecting certain aspects of their dog’s health that will cause problems for their best friend in later life. If you don’t want to see your woofing buddy fall ill or generally suffer from poor health, then here are some tips to help stop that from happening in the first place:

Food: Dogs are just like us. That’ll be the general theme of this article and it’s true in many ways. When it comes to health, the same things that keeps our bodies in good shape are SAMESIES for dogs. One of the most important aspects of your dog’s lifestyle is the food that he or she eats. You should be feeding them a consistent diet and keeping most human foods well away from them; chocolate is a definite no-no! Healthy, natural, and organic foods are always the best way to go with dogs. You might want to check out some homemade dog foods that we’ve talked about before if you’re thinking about switching pet foods.

Disease: Dogs experience diseases, infections, colds, and other forms of sickness just like humans, but they’re definitely more prone to them than us; they don’t live a hygienic life, even if you brush their teeth and bathe them. They’re animals that are born to be wild. You might want to look into flea and tick medication from companies such as Pet Action so that you always have some on hand for the likely event that your dog gets them. Dogs are always running into problems like this because of their lifestyle spent jumping around in the garden and getting muddy on long dog walks.

It’s very important that you don’t overlook any warning signs such as itching or a general decline in their mood. These signs can all be indicative of an underlying problem, and it will usually be something like fleas or ticks. Of course, if you’ve tried all that you can to help your dog when they’re unwell and they still seem “off”, then you might have to accept that your diagnosis is wrong and head off to the vet to find out what’s actually going on with your pet.

If you notice that you dog is limping or has a specific area of discomfort, get to the vet immediately. The longer this goes on, the more serious and painful for your pet it could become. Should this problem be a fracture or dislocation, your vet will recommend an appointment at Moores Orthopaedic Clinic (or a similar practice in your local area). Remember that certain breeds of dogs might be more prone to issues with their spines or hips so do your research to ensure you are using the best preventative measures. Whatever the case, it’s important not to leave any problem unchecked; if your dog seems unwell, then don’t wait it out.

doggie1

Omg. :*)

Age: As your dog gets older, they’ll run into health problems more frequently. It’s nature, at the end of the day, but that doesn’t mean that you should let your dog age disgracefully. There’s certainly a lot that you can do to keep them in optimal health conditions. More frequent visits to the vet would be a good start. You want to keep on top of any problems that they might be having before they develop into anything serious or noticeable. You’ll also want to help them take things more easily; leisurely walks rather than strenuous ones, for example.

Looking after your dog like you would for any member of your family will surely result in a long and happy life for man’s best friend!

Adorable Featured Image By: Pexels

Sick :(

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Sick :(

Hi everyone and TGIF! Lil Red has come down with a really unfortunate summer cold this past week and, rest assured, I am absolutely miserable. Don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from me this weekend because I need to get some rest and I also have a lot to catch up on from my sick days. But please tune in for next week’s Monday Update, because I will be announcing the lineup for my Falling For Fall guest bloggers series, which premieres on the 29th!

How do you beat a summer cold? What are some of your home remedies for when you’re feeling unwell? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah