Last weekend I found out I have shingles. While it may have ruined my last three weeks of school, it made my days a lot better. Here is a chronological listing of a day in my life during my second week of shingles.
Solange – “God Given Name (Instrumental)”
With my eyes closed I can still feel the airy sunshine pouring through my window. My phone reads 8:23am. Shoot. I was suppose to get up at six. With my left hand I split open the stark white window shades and peer at the sky. It’s summer blue. I turn over and sit on bed, still underneath my blankets as I breathe heavily and rub my swollen eyes. Grabbing my phone, I scan the list of notifications on my lock screen. A text from my mom, 2 Instagram notifications (dms from my roommate), and multiple snaps (all streak updates). Finally, with no desire to, I get up and slide off my bed. My sockless feet plop on the ground and I see my laptop resting on the ground. I fell asleep watching netflix, again. I set it back on the bed and put my pants and socks on, and make my way to the kitchen.
I open the fridge and grab a lemon from my drawer. I’ve started drinking hot-lemon-water and tea because I can’t have my normal unholy amount of coffee, due to my medication. I cut the lemon on the countertop and start my water kettle. Beep. I make my way to the bathroom slowly, and turn on the flaxen lighting. Ahh Too bright. Leaning over the sink, I inspect the pimples that were not instantaneously improved during the night by my spot cream. I groan as I take my retainer out and brush my teeth. Beep. The water’s boiling.
I walk back into the kitchen with a glass mason jar in hand. I dump out the dry tea bag from last night and rinse it. I use one half of the lemon and watch the seeds plop to the bottom of the jar with the juice. I’m too lazy to get them out, so just I pour the water in and hope I don’t choke on them later. Too much! I wipe up the spilled water with the hem of my t-shirt and take a sip. Hot Hot Hot! I swallow it hastily so it doesn’t burns too much of my mouth. Nonetheless there’s something about the pucker of a ripe lemon in the morning that kicks in faster than a cup of coffee.
Nel Oliver – “You Are My Dream”
I am usually a night-shower-er but a recent event (it starts with sh and ends with ingles) has caused me to change this routine to make my mornings more “relaxing”. I press the ON button on my roommate’s waterproof speaker and start the shower.
Due to Union being a southern baptist affiliated liberal-arts college, I do my boogie-ing in the boiling-hot watery confines of my small bathroom shower. That way no one can see or distinctly hear my gargled singing, “You got what I want, You got what I need…” The song finishes and I dry off. I touch my side with my toweled hand and inhale sharply. The pain is worst in the morning and night, that’s for sure. With my hair wrapped up gracefully in my bath towel, I traipse out of my self-made steam room and into my bedroom. My roommate grumbles a half-asleep greeting to me as she shuffles past me into the bathroom.
After I finish breakfast, a toasted-new-york-bagel, I sit back on my bed and screw off the cap to my medicine. I slap the blue horse pill into my mouth with my hand and reach for my Nalgene. I sputter as I swallow and water spills from the edges of my mouth onto my chin and shirt. I reach over and mark the time on my makeshift tally board (the paper from the pharmacy that lists the side-effects of said medication). 1 down, 2 more to go.
Jaden Smith – “Ninety”
“Love…
The United States-and the White House
..Smile”
I shake my head and move my bottle of face moisturizer to the steady beat. The mirror shows the darkness underneath my eyes that acts as deep-set shadows for the soon arrival of my eyes sunset. In vain, I try to apply some makeup, but it seems useless in trying to improve how my face has made so clearly apparent how awful I feel. I start to think about the upcoming weeks, and my nearing assignments and tests. Stop! Breathe.. Don’t stress yourself out, it’s only going to make it worse. You know you can’t recover when you are stressed. The doctor said if you don’t lower your stress levels you’re not going to get better, and you want to get better, Ja? Ja gut. Ohmygosh I have a that German test on Thursday- I need concealer-Oh god I need to start studying for that….What is the use of studying if you aren’t learning anything? It’s the last three weeks of school- Blush?-how do professors expect us to learn anything more at this point? Everyone is cramming for their tests and stuff and it’s not even being rightly processed…Vasellllineee!… Did I take my pill?…Yea. Oka-(Where I interrupt my stream of conscious to spit Jaden’s mad lyrics)
“-Because it is subtle,
The storm is coming and it’s raining cats and dogs, stay away from all them puddles
I’m keepin’ it humble and noble
I spit that radiation like I’m Chernobyl..”
Jazz Spastiks, Apani B Fly – “Move”
A couple people are sporadically spread at tables on the first floor of the library, as I walk past with my head bent. I click the buttons on the side of my headphones to reassure myself that they are playing at an un-obnoxious volume. I walk outside and down the steps and contemplate my day’s plan, and how little I was able to get done in the last several hours. My head pounds and I blink, realizing the nearing-summer heat is making me sick. My medicine makes me dizzy but with the addition of the heat I add fainting and spilling-my-guts-on-the-sidewalk to the list of potential side-effects.
I swing the exit door to the mailroom open and the cold air ushers me in. My face rests at its regular position, an expression crossed between something pained and unimused, but breaks into a faint smile when I see the familiar face of a mailman (is that what people are called who work in the mailroom?). I tell him I have a package and he nods knowingly. He’s a classmate; more than an acquaintance but less than a friend. But in any case, he’s nice and he gives me my package without unnecessary small-talk. I look at my package, there are plants and herbs designs on it, and I know it’s from my mom. She heard that peppermint oil helps with body aches and rash pain, so she sent me 30mls of it. I chuckle, thinking that I now have the rare opportunity to answer that yes, my “rash oil” not cream, is working.
Kali Uchis – “After the Storm (feat. Tyler, The Creator & Bootsy Collins)”
I exit Kroger as my eyes strain to look for where I parked my car. The sun’s reflection off the cars instantly heightens my headache to numbing levels. There! I walk slow heavy steps to my car and I unlock my side door. God I can’t imagine being a old person and getting this virus. I set my bags down on the passenger seat and slide into the driver’s seat. Ouch! The black sun-heated seat material scorches my legs as I turn my car on. I eye my multiple bags of groceries, “Just a few things.” Hmmpfhh Yea right. I wait a couple moments and cool air rushes to my face and the racking in my head is momentarily halted. I restart the song and make my way back to campus, as I move my collective upper body rhythmically as I sing to the kale that sits beside me-
“Someday we’ll find the love
‘Cause after the storm’s
When the flowers bloom
(I sing this part heftly)
[Tyler aka. Flower Boy] Kali what you mean,
I’ll take you to Phoenix (It is actually “I take it offensive-”)
‘Cause I’m the hottest flower boy
That popped up on the scene…”
Dinah Washington – “Teach Me Tonight”
I apply a liberal amount of “rash oil” on my side and stand momentarily in the doorway, while it soaks in. The door is open, and the distant sunset is now a hue lighting the top of Ayers 4’s rooftop. The slight breeze touches my side through my oversized sweatshirt and the peppermint oil transforms into a cool and refreshing numbing band-aid. My phone alarm interrupts my sublime moment and reminds me that I have to take my last pill for the day. I close the door and decide to make dinner first. I grab leftover rice from the fridge and microwave it, and add half of an avocado and some soy sauce. The avocado’s freshness is debatable and I regret my choice. I finish my mediocre dinner quickly and clean my dishes and the ones in the sink. It’s 8:27pm and I debate whether to go to bed early or continue my futile efforts to study. I decide on the former and turn the water kettle on to prepare some tea. Only this time, no lemon.