~Thursday, February 21, 2008

My Very First Valentine's Day

So I've been sick. I have been sick for quite awhile actually. I started feeling ill last Tuesday or Wednesday, but made it until Thursday afternoon before I allowed myself to leave work. The flower delivery had just come for Valentine's Day and I wasn't on the list. I didn't think I would be—it's too expensive a gesture for our budget—but when the rounds had come and I had nothing else to hold out for, I went home with a fever.

We never talked about our expectations for Valentine's Day. I had never had a real one before, so I didn't really know what to expect. The one I had in college, Valentine's Day came within a week of our six-month anniversary, so we decided to beat the crowds and just celebrate our anniversary instead. The one I had after college, I was in a long-distance relationship, so we celebrated the weekend before. This was my first honest-to-god, I love you and will see you on the actual day, Valentine's Day.

Scott woke me up in the bedroom at 6:30 pm. "You're hot."

"Ugh, no I'm not."

"No, I mean, you're hot. As in feverish."

"Oh."

Scott left the bedroom and headed to the kitchen, "Do you want your gifts?"

I didn't. Because if I get them now, then it's over; nothing else to look forward to. I yawned and stretched. Getting up from naps is pretty easy for me, but my eyelids felt... bloated.

Scott returned with a glass of ice water and handed it to me. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I didn't know where you wanted to go to dinner, so I called and made reservations at three different places. One is at 8, another is at 8:30, and the last one is at 9:30. Your choice."

"Aww." All week he had been complaining about Valentine's Day and its conspiracy, blah, blah, fueled by women for women, blah. But in the end, he came through.

I got up to take a shower, hoping the hot steam of the bath would relieve some of the pressure I felt on my face and chest. I kept standing under the stream of water waiting to feel better, but instead I felt tired and sweaty with bloated eyelids. I eventually gave up and got dressed and ready for dinner.

By this point Scott had dozed off on the couch and there were still a few minutes before I had to wake him. I clicked around on the TV while tugging at my turtleneck until I felt claustrophobic and smothered in my own clothing and I ran to the closet with a wimper, exchanging my deviled turtleneck for the fat pajamas. You know the ones. Then I crawled back into bed without waking him up.

We missed all the reservations except for the 9:30 one at our regular place. But when Scott hovered above me on the bed again, talking about dinner again, I began to cry. I was sick. I finally had to admit it. And hell if I want to put on clothes that don't have a drawstring and and do things like sit up. So instead of a Valentine's dinner with candles, I sent Scott down to our other regular place—the Chinese take-out downstairs—and had him pick up some wonton soup for me.

He also brought me a bottle of wine, a single red rose, and a small box of chocolates. Only my boyfriend has alcohol issues, so he drank the wine. And my lovely dog snatched the box of chocolates off the coffee table while I was napping and tore off the cardboard heart top with precision and ate my chocolates.

I've just now replaced my chocolates in the seasonal 75%-off aisle of Walgreens while picking up my prescriptions (all $250 worth. Ouch.) after missing a week of work. In addition to bronchitis, it seems I have an unknown thyroid problem which I have to get screened for cancer (Yea!) and possible surgery (Woo.) And who knows how much all of this is going to cost because I have the worst health care plan in the United States. No lie. It's like I don't even have insurance. Actually, it is so bad that I just tell doctors I don't have insurance. It only covers me for catastrophic events like car accidents and cancer. Well then, it looks like I am covered.

So that was my Valentine's Day.

18 comments:

Ms. M said...

Hey Sarah!
I have enjoyed reading your blog for a little while and would love to contribute a story! If you would like to take a look at my blog... please email me at ms.mysterioso@hotmail.com!

It used to be a single/dating blog and has evolved into a wedding/home renovation blog... times change, but I'm sure I'll find a good story for charity!!!

.... i spent my valentine's day alone on a train, by the way.... but i prefer the little romantic things that sneak into every day life anyway :) hope you guys have had fun since then!!

AmyB said...

Oh Sarah! This sucks big donkey balls! :o( I really hope you're feeling better now than you were, and that you are able to get the tests done (no pressure, right) soon!! Scott is right, though - Valentine's Day is sort of a conspiracy...better to go out for a nice dinner this weekend to make up for it. Take care of yourself!

Anonymous said...

Oh I hope you are okay and get well soon... it's so scary to hear that you have to get tested for cancer (I know - because doctors kept throwing the C word at me a few months ago).

TC said...

I have never had the traditional Valentine's Day, and I'm OK with that.

But knowing how much you were looking forward to it makes me feel so bad for you :(

Fingers crossed for no cancer!

AnotherSocialScientist said...

Sorry you're feeling so shitty - but at least Scott made you feel loved. That's what counts right? Not whether you managed to do the prescribed dinner and a movie...

Diane Mandy said...

I'm thinking of you!

Anonymous said...

oh babe, so sorry that you have been sick and that you now have to get tested. Chin up young lady and fingers crossed all will be well for you and the results will show a big fat nada on the cancer score.

I went to the theatre to watch some argentine tango with a girlfriend for Valentines...romantic, huh!

take care x

... said...

Um, yeah. That sucks almost as bad as mine. No, actually, with the cancer I think you win.

dont eat the token said...

Oy, I thought you were in for a good night, despite the sick. :(

Assuming pup and boy are all okay from the V-day debacle, then so will you. But my thoughts are with you and that you are not truly ill. Just temporarily and annoying sickie.

dont eat the token said...

Oh! And just 3 days after Vday, Jukebox and I went to Walgreens hoping to score some 75% deals.

ALL GONE! ALL replaced by bunnies and eggs!

Anonymous said...

hi Sarah pet, I'm sorry to hear you have been poorly and I hope you feel better now. I've got my fingers and toes all crossed for you with these further scans and tests and hope that it isn't cancer my love. If you need to talk to someone who's been there, just find me on Facebook or googlechat.

Lots of love hunny xxxx

Peach said...

oh yuck that's terrible, I'm so sorry to hear how bad it all is - hope you get better soonest xxxx

M said...

oh no, that's terrible! I hope that you feel better soon and that nothing is serious at all.

In other news I have bronchitis too! Twins!

"*;*" said...

I hope everything turns out at the dr.

AND you don't need that nasty candy.. and bottles of wine are available everyday.. so are dinner resavations.

xoxoxo

WiscoBlonde said...

Keep your chin up! Good luck with all the tests. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

Unknown said...

hope you're feeling better - and Valentine's Day can happen any day - hopefully there are plenty of do-over days for you and Scott.

*kb* said...

I'm thinking of you Sarah!! Keep us posted.

general_boy said...

Oh no Sarah, that bites the big one. :(

My VD ( how did Valentine's day end up with such an unfortunate abbreviation?? ) was also highjacked by illness... my Valentine suffering a particularly nasty stomach virus and confined to bed for 3 days.

I hope you manage to defer the event to a better time. Hope the throat is better soon too. :)

 

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