Graphic? Maybe.

[steinster]

Hopefully you've read my other thread, about my more recent experience.

But uhh, this is probably going to bring some situations painful to think about to some people, so be warned....

I found this to be one of the most interesting experiences yet.

I used to work at a red lobster. My friend worked with me and he got sick wih a stomach virus, he came to work talking about getting sick recently and that now he's fine.

Well, since I know people, I knew that no one ever waits the recommended time before returning to society. Even though you feel better, of course you're still a walking virus depot to other people. So instantly I knew this thing was going to come back at me, everytime something like this has happened it's been like that. Except for that one time...

Anyway.

I'm at work one day. I hadn't eaten since last night, I felt a little odd during the morning hours, opening up the Alley (food prep), I didn't think much of it and I usually eat a lot at work, since I'm friends with the line cooks I just go back and whip something up for myself.

Well, I decided not to, trusting in my instinct, and knowing that I'd be better off because I still felt full, even, from last night, and it was still pretty early morning.

So I don't eat or drink anything at all. And that's what saved me. Intake restriction.

I get in the alley and my back starts to hurt, like my kidneys are sore, my lower back. There's small shelf, where the soup warmer rests on, sometimes it can act as a seat if it's not in use. It gets warm, and it helped keep the pain away, but when I would get up to get back in the window to line the trays up and all, the pain would instantly come back and nearly cripple me.

I started having the pain and it lasted for a few hours, getting worse and worse, soon the warmth of the random back prop doesn't do anything to dull the pain it's just coming through. My limbs feel weak, my face feels heavy, and my legs and muscles are extremely tired.

Like, when I try to get up from that seat. I barely can, and it's very painful and exhausting to even walk, let alone work.

Then after a few hours from opening. It's pretty slow, and after the lunch rush, it's died down outside.

Here's where it gets graphic and serious, turn away if you don't want to read, but I know if you're like me, you won't be able to.

Well, I go down the hallway perpendicular to the alley and the line, and then turn right on the last hallway to go into the bathroom.

I'm not sick yet, my stomach doesn't hurt, just my legs and my lower back.

I have horrible horrible diarrhea. It goes on in sessions, with this one lasting for about 15 minutes. Literally it won't stop. Yet each time it relieves pressure on my back and I feel better, so I'm welcoming it and trying to hurry before it gets worse so that the pressure doesn't...rise.

After about 15 minutes I come out and get back in the window to continue working.


It comes back almost instantly, nothing helps, I try to sit down and I get restless with pain, I stand up and I feel like I need to go to the bathroom. I tell my boss, and in his very dumbassed manner (excuse my language), he tells me about the last time he had a stomach virus at work, and how the other manager told him to drink a warm 7-Up. He then goes to describe how he puked his guts out in the bathroom, would come out and work on the line, and then go back to puke alternating his actions. I wasn't really surprised or disgusted, this is the guy that has...uhh.. unproffesional relations with his younger waitresses. So I just laughed at him, brushing it off, knowing that I'm his best man and that he's not going to care and just push me to work instead of leave. I don't know how life works though because I think back and know that a car ride home would have never worked, and being orally sick aside, I needed to let loose in the bathroom every few minutes, for 15-20 minutes at a time, not mentionin

[cloughie]

I have just read every word. Wow, that to me was hell. I wouldn't of walked anywhere like that. I would of cried and phoned for help while screaming the place down. Well done for being very very brave and coping alone.

[steinster]

Thanks.

I looked back at the post and wondered if some people would think I was crazy.

I hope not. I'm what you get when you mix a thrill seeker with a debilitating condition.
Many things were hard, but it's harder to look back and see that you've gotten no where in X amount of time.

Start anywhere. Just start moving. Good luck.