You know you've thrown up too much when your stomach muscles feel like they just did 100 situps.

Friday
7:00 p.m.
Went to Silver Bells in the city with Dana and Noriko. Saw the tree lit up all pretty in front of the capital. Saw the fireworks. Wasn't sure if I should sing our National Anthem or Silent Night. I was feeling fine, though. Little did I know....

8:00 p.m.
Dinner at the Awesomes. Baked Ziti, garlic bread and broccoli. Yum. Lots of wine. Maybe too much? Well, I knew I was slightly past my limit when I stopped. I usually have a two drink max but every time my glass was half full, someone kept filling me up. Still, my fault for not keeping track. Then, I had to whip out the Pumpkin Beer before I left just to try it.

11:00 p.m.
After hanging out at Joey's parents' for awhile, I sucked down a water and went to my mom's. I was feeling fine.

Saturday
3:00 a.m.
Am I...feeling ill?

4:30 a.m.
Am I...getting feverish?

5:10 a.m.
Am I...going to throw up?!?!
I ran to the bathroom. Jenny is a great cook but that stuff never digested. Let me tell you...so flippin gross. I was in disbelief. The last time I had been throw up sick was...I don't even remember. There's another feeling when you are throwing up at 5:00 in the morning. I felt like I was the only person alive. Relief flooded over me when I heard my step-dad knock on the door to see if I was okay. Yes. I had help.

6:00 a.m.
After getting sick again and feeling like my throat was going to burn up, I text messaged Joey. What an awesome guy. He was there by 6:30ish, just in time to see me throw up for the 4th and last time. I don't know about you but when I'm getting sick, my body is so uncomfortably warm. When someone touches me, even to rub my back, it feels like all of their body heat transfers to me. That last time was almost the worst. I felt like I was never going to get better and I was running out of "stuff" to give to the porcelin god. I cried out to my God apologizing for drinking too much. Joey laughed and said, "sweetie, this is the flu." Yeah, it was. The achyness, the fever, the barfing...it just wouldn't quit. The worst part was that I was supposed to run 6 miles to raise money for the church. Up until the last time I threw up, I was still going to do it. I realized I was just too sick to run.

8:00 a.m.
Joey left to meet the other runners at Riverview. While he was gone, I finally went back to bed and slept. I heard him come back to the house and he and my mom were talking softly outside of my bedroom door. I heard my mom say, "she's been sleeping since you left." Joey said, "good. She needs the rest. Everyone said they would run when she could run." I felt happy. Sick but happy because people care about me even when I'm gross and fluy. My mom left for work and Joey slept on the couch.

I got up and watched the State game and then the Ohio State game. I got a lot of rest but my fever kept bouncing all over the place. I wondered what it felt like to be normal. It was like I forgot! The next day, I went to church and still couldn't eat much. I'm still kind of weak and tired but it feels good to feel good. Get your flu shot.