OAKHURST — Last week I wrote about mindfulness and the myriad health benefits of being present in the moment. The universe, in its infinite capacity for humor, decided to offer me the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.
My boyfriend and I had planned on a lovely five days in Mendocino to celebrate surviving the holidays without losing our minds. With great anticipation of our favorite views, shops and restaurants, we set off early in the morning.
About three hours into our six hour drive, our hotel called and said that we wouldn’t be able to get to Mendocino now or in the next three or four days; all roads leading into town were flooded or impassable due to other effects of Mother Nature. As I questioned the hotel concierge further, she urged us with no subtly in her voice to, “Stop heading north right now!” So we did.
After struggling to find a plan B before the monster storm hit, we found ourselves heading to Monterey, but I was feeling very cranky about it. While my brain kept reminding me that I had just finished writing about the importance of staying in the moment, my attitude just wanted to fantasize longingly about Mendocino. Staying happily in the moment when there are nothing but blue skies is far easier than when the skies become angry, wet and windy — literally and metaphorically.
About 10 days before our departure, my boyfriend caught that nasty cold virus that has laid low the strongest and the best of us. At the time, neither he nor I were worried because by departure day we knew that he should be well on the mend, if not 100 percent. The morning we left, he was feeling run-down but sure that he was on the upswing. Given the long day of driving and scrambling to get settled before the rain moved in, we were both exhausted come bedtime once we settled into a hotel in Monterey.
I will spare you the gruesome details but, the gist is, he felt worse and worse as the days went along. My suggestions to go to the urgent care fell on deaf ears and we muddled through the remaining days of our vacation.
I pined for the rough and rugged landscape of the Mendocino bluffs, the whale-watching view from the hotel window and cuisine that comforts the most unsettled soul.
My mind kept reminding me to be mindful and present but the irritation over not being in Mendocino and my worry over my man was making the “now” a rather unpleasant place! I was able to find moments of joy – chocolate, banana muffins with espresso, sitting across from the man I love while sharing the most enormous, delicious chocolate cake, and oohing and ahhing over the year’s first full moon together.
By the time my boyfriend finally gave up being a Santini kid (from movie The Great Santini, aka stoic to the nth degree) and saw the doctor, his exhales sounded like a tool box rolling down a bumpy hill and he was sleeping more hours than he was awake.
Prescriptions for antibiotics and an inhaler made quick work of the wheezing and he seems to be on the mend.
If you find yourself in this same predicament with a cold that won’t go away and you’re not sure if you should see your doctor, here are some guidelines.
Go see your doctor if you have:
- A cough lasts more than 10 days
- Shortness of breath, dizziness, wheezing, or chest pain
- Persistent vomiting. If you can’t keep anything down, you risk dehydration, which makes everything worse
- A fever that lasts more than 10 days or a fever of 102 or higher in adults
- Confusion or disorientation. This is different than the fog that comes with a stuffy head or as a side effect to some cold medicines and should be taken seriously
- Symptoms that get worse rather than better or symptoms that have improved and then relapsed
- If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, you should be even more vigilant about your symptoms and check in with your doctor sooner
As we drove home, the almost-full moon in its silver splendor was rising above the hills, and I had no difficulties staying present in the moment.
