I'm no longer used to this quiet. I wandered around my apartment on Friday afternoon, trying to get myself ready to come down the shore, trying to unpack my massive, 75-pound bag that I've been carrying around for the past three weeks, trying to do anything besides stare into the very, very empty space around me and wonder where all the noise, laughter and raunchy jokes went.
I've been sleeping almost nonstop since. Most of us have been, but I have more reason. When I woke on Thursday (curled into a teeny hole in the really bad hotel room eight of us shared for three nights) with a bloodshot eye, I attributed it to scratching my eye while sleeping, or from irritation from some speck of grossness picked up from some of the male detritus spewed haphazardly across the approximately four square feet of carpet left in the space, or perhaps from sleeping in four places in two weeks. When it didn't subside throughout the day, and when the boys continued to make jokes about my diseased face, I figured it was pink eye. We treated it appropriately: completely ignored it. We had all spent too much time together to ruin the last night by quarantining me in the hotel bathroom. That none of them got pink eye is, well, nothing but a stroke of luck.
I figured it would go away, but after an insanely fun Thursday evening (I was originally intended to go home late that night, but was persuaded by two things - eight boys chanting "stay stay stay" and the fact that driving home could have resulted in my death, I was so tired) I drove home with an eye that was demonstrably still a magenta hue. So, when I showed up to work, it went like this:
Editor: "Hi! Welcome back!"
Me: "Hi! The question - do you want me here?"
Editor: "Huh?"
Me: [Points to eye]
Editor: "What? I don't see anything."
Me: (In duh voice) "I have pink eye."
Editor: "Why don't you go to the doctor?"
I went. I came back two hours later with three prescriptions in hand: one for my two ear infections, one for my conjunctivitis (doctor-ese for "pink eye"), one for the upper respiratory infection that I thought was a mild scratchiness of the throat. The doc looked in my ears and went "Mhm. Yeah. Your ears are full of pus."
I'd left for my three-week odyssey with a slight ear infection, or so I thought; I got antibiotics from my regular doc, who thought we should just treat everything just in case. I had about two minutes for an appointment so it was like, "Hi hi hi, yes, your ears suck, here are the drugs, bye." I took enough meds to feel somewhat clear throughout, certainly clear enough to do the podcasts and travel around. Toward the end of Vegas, I said to Cheryl, "My other ear is starting to hurt." It wasn't a good sign, but it certainly wasn't terrible; after some drops it all reduced to a dull ache in both sides of my head.
Yet it appears that it was the same infection, just back in full force. All it had done while I was away was fester. Now it had found a new orifice - my eye - in which to express itself.
This happens, though. My body is like a woman scorned. It plots and schemes, and exacts revenge. It usually does this every time I push it just a little bit too hard. After I spent the last semester of college under an unbelievable workload, I graduated to a responsibility free life, and as such contracted a mystery illness that lasted three weeks and baffled my doctor. All we knew is that I was sick, no one knew how or why or what it actually was. Now, it's happened again; I pushed very hard over the past three weeks, and now my body has saved it all up and is spewing it forward as if it had digested badly.
The worst part, however, is that I've been in three cities meeting all of you, and have shaken a lot of hands and signed a lot of things. Might want to throw some Purell over your autographs, guys. Sorry.
Hope you get better soon!
I'm so familiar with that feeling of going from being totally and continuously surrounded by people to being alone. It can be such a weird transition to make.
And, wow, Melissa! Two ear infections, an upper respiratory thingy, and pink eye? You really don't do things halfway, do you? Rest and get better!
Awwwwwwww Melissa!! You poor baby. *hugs* I'm sooo sorry you are sick!! That's horrible. I'm still recovering from only getting 12 hours of sleep from Vegas, but MAN that's not cool! I hope you feel better really soon! *hands over chocolate, starbucks, and cookies* -Lizzie
That is quite horrible. Rest up and get well soon!
Awww! Feel better, Melissa! If any of your fans get sick, though, I can't imagine we'd really feel too terrible about it...
"Omg, guess what? I caught pink eye from Melissa Anelli!"
"OMG THAT'S AWESOME! Lucky!"
Just kidding, lol. But really, I hope you feel better :-( It was so great to meet you in NYC, I'll never forget it.
Get well soon!
OK, Melissa...I'm still in NYC for 24 hours. Do you need me to bring you some Chicken Soup? There is nothing better for illness than comfort food! You already know I am the MASTER coffee deliverer...just let me know!
In the mean time...please, get well soon! :-)
Love from MJ (futureweasley)
Im so sorry Melissa. It sucks to come home sick! But seriously you know someone cares for you when they share everything, even their GERMS!!! LoL! Take it easy rest up!
Aww, Melissa! I hope you feel better! Being sick is the worst thing ever, especially during big events.
Get well soon :( ;)
I'm SO sorry, Melissa! I had an ear infection the week I was performing in a play and pink eye the day before my eighth grade promotion, but that doesn't compare to you! I haven't gotten anything from when you signed my book yet, don't worry. Feel better soon!
Awww Melissa!! You poor poor thing. I'd give you a hug, but i can't. I got home friday and it was freeeeezing but i'm not sick, luckily. But i know how you feel because i spend majority of winter every year sick in bed, and it's only a matter of time before i get sick this winter.
So i hope you get better and you were awesome in Las Vegas and NYC and i hope you had as much fun as i did.
Wow, I saw you so many times this past week and a half and had absolutely no idea that you were ill. You did an excellent job of covering it up and you also seemed so cheerfull even in NY where everyone looked half asleep. I hope you feel better very soon, as for the lack of noise and the fact that you are finally getting to sleep on a bed, I say don't get too used to it. This is probably not the last time that you will develop many minor illnesses due to a complete lack of estrogene and soap.
With two ear infections and a pink eye, the real question is: "Was it worth it?" I,unfortunately, was not there for either LeakyMugs, but I know you had fun and possibly the time of your life. I know you feel like sh** right now (and believe me, I've been there). However, twenty years from now, you'll look back and remember only the jokes, the laughter, the Muggleboys (and John), and the thousands of people you have touched and influenced (like me). So, in the mean time, take lots of vitamin C and plenty of water..and I hope you feel better tomorrow. I wish you the best in all the things that you do. Take care.
PS. I love how you write. I, personally, cannot write if my life depended on it.
You're definately a performer at heart...I'm a music teacher & my husband always checks our calendar for the days AFTER my shows. He knows then when I'll be sick. Thanks again for all your hard work for us fans! Please take care of yourself!
The whole time I noticed people with red eyes, but I thought it was just lack of sleep and too much...er, butterbeer. I woke up this morning with red eyes...and now I'm paranoid.
I could barely get back to work after my 6 day vacation. Good luck getting back into things after three weeks! Though you totally deserve a week long nap. I hope you get better! =)
This is going to be slightly revolting, but the pathogen that causes pinkeye isn't really related to the stuff that causes ear infections and respiratory infections (unless its respiratory syncytial virus). I'd tell you what it IS related to, but um...kids could read this.
Gah. So sorry. *hugs* I hope your system gets over its revenge soon. :)
awww, poor Melissa!
*huggles*
get well soon!
Eeek! Bad case of the Potter Flu huh? @,@;
Hope you get better. I mean you will, but getting better faster without the puss and groggy stuff is good.
First to blog, made a realy good blog post. Like I promoused, it is in my journal.
Very nice to meet you in NYC again.
~ Jordan
Helloo Melissa.
I am really sorry to read that you're sick. Well, take some time off to rest and I am sure you will get better in no time.
cheers.
Mfree
aww...poor melissa! get better! :D
Awww Melissa, I hope you feel better soon! I had conjuctivitis once, but I caught it early so it was only in the corner of my eyes. The antibiotics cleared it up in no time. Get lots of rest and drink lots of water because it's pretty hot in NYC (I'm still there now but I'm leaving this afternoon). P.S: I would never put Purell over your autograph if my life dependeded on it. I wouldn't want the ink to run! :-)
pink eye??? you had me confused then i only know it as conjunctivitis. Every time you put your self under alot of stress your not used to you will get ill its natural.
get well soon
Never fear, Melissa! I didn't shake your hand! All I did was give you a bubble bar from Lush. So take yourself a nice long bath!
Aww, feel better soon Melissa!
Okay, how strange is this? I have been sick with an upper respiratory infection and a double ear infection since about the Vegas podcast (I wasn't there, just giving you a timeline). My ear drum ruptured on Friday night. I woke up this morning with my eye all gunky. My doctor says it's not pink eye, but just the infection moved to my eye. So, coughing my head off, throat hurting, ears full of pressure, and my right eye all swollen, I log onto the internet and check your blog. I could have wrote it! That is pretty much exactly what I have!
So, the question is, did I give it to you at the Naperville podcast, did you give it to me, or is this some weird coincidence? Freaky.
Well, I hope we both feel better soon! My doc gave me antibiotics, a decongestant and codeine. The codeine has knocked me on my butt, so I will probably be sleeping the rest of the day. Don't mind any incoherent rambling from me, it's just the drugs talking.
Oh gosh melissa, that's horrible. Hope you feel better soon!
I hope you feel better soon! And I have to say that I agree with the person that said that people would be excited by getting some form of infection (that sounds really bad) from you. It would be like "Hey look I got Melissa Anelli's autograph!!" "Cool!" "AND AND I got pink eye from her too!!!"
rest up, make sure u take ur meds everything will go away with time but keep and eye on that respitory problem that could get worse if not taken care of.....
Feel better!!
~~Erica
Melissa, I am sending an owl to Mme. Pomfrey, asking her to visit you right away to make sure those Muggle remedies are doing their job and you are getting better. Hope you are feeling better really soon.
Aw, Melis, the pain must be excruciating! I remember the one time I went in with a bad double ear infection and the doctor took one look inside with that lighted scope and was, "Oh, you poor thing!"
I'm prescribing kitty snuggles with Mootchka -- long as like, it's under the chin or something, so she doesn't come in contact with the infected sites and wind up getting sick herself. My kitties always want to cuddle when I'm not feeling good. They're sweet like that. Not so sweet when I wake up in the morning needing to go potty and the kitties have decided I'm their favorite sleeping place, but that's neither here nor there. ^_^;
Melisssaaaa. This is very off topic but do you read the comments on your LiveJournal feed or just these?
Either way feel better, you rock kthx.
Oh, and this picture is totally Emerson signing my shoe (bowing down to me). :P
Lol I find it kinda funny that so many parts of your body were sick at once and luckily no one else got sick but I am going to go quarentine my Harry Potter book right now I will be right back.
Aw, Meliss! Hope you're not feeling too crappy! It's hardly suprising though - you have spent two weeks non stop and I would take a guess that your body is just trying to get back at you! Revenge is sweet... lol!
Seriously, look after yourself mate! i agree with whoever suggested a Lush Bubble Bar bath - what an awesome idea :)
Hey Melissa!
That really bites. Having pink eye and 2 infected ears. Awwwwww. But, like someone mentioned earlier, it sounds like it's all worth it, because you sound like you had a lot of fun. I know I did just at the LA Scholastic podcast!
For me, when I get stressed and put my body through too much, I break out, and lose my appetite. And get a mild cold. Bah.
I hope you get better really soon, because being sick is just not cool at all.
*huggles*
Love, Amanda
blathnat, i only knew it as conjunctivitis as well. i was like "huh"?
Oh, Melissa! You are such a trooper to charge into the past three weeks with such vigor, despite the...erm...growing/spreading infection! Hope you're feeling better soon! Get some rest!
Hey Melissa, you know, this one time at a Star Trek convention, John DeLancie, who of course played Q on TNG, had come to a panel discussion with a bad flu bug, and he warned people there was probably a really horrible virus now floating in his water glass. So the emcee pounced on the opportunity and offered to auction off the "Q-virus". Not only did it sell for like, more than fifty dollars, but the guy who won the auction, rather than carefully storing the container as a collectible, actually downed the remaining liquid in the glass in front of the entire auditorium, and bragged, "I've been infected with the Q-virus!"
Just in hopes of reassuring you that, though hopefully not to that extreme, it's highly unlikely anyone you came in contact with over those few weeks is going to be terribly outraged if they caught anything from getting your autograph or a handshake.
Hmm... what happens to your life after hpotter is gone?
I hope you feel better Melissa. At least there won't be any busy weeks like that for a long while, at least in the Potter sense.
I know how you feel. My body likes to be mean, too. I've had the chicken pox 14 times. As far as I know I'm the only person to have it that many times. I'm probably wrong, though. Hope you feel better soon!
GET WELL SOON!!!! It was so great to meet you in NYC!!
aww...feel better Melissa. you deserve the rest after all you do for the fans...and that goes for all of you guys :)
I hope you are recovering from your various illnesses... I have to say, it just proves what I've been gushing for the past week, the folks at Leaky are the ultimate in professional! You never let it stop you, and your poor body was probably jumping up and down in the back of B&N going "Pay attention to me! Take care of me!" But you just kept giving and giving to the fans.
I'm sorry we suck all your good health out of ya! Feel better soon!
Lisa
Ouch.
But now you can say: "I worked so hard and had so much fun across the nation that I actually got pink eye!!"
People are always impressed by that sort of martyrdom.
Anyways! I just got back from my trip to New York, or else I would have written sooner. I'm betting a lot of money you don't remember me, but I was the redhead standing behind you in line on the second night who was completely star-struck and could think of nothing interesting to say. I was just kind of obsessed with the fact that very soon I would be in the same room as JK Rowling herself. I promise I really do have a personality...but I really couldn't think of anything to say. I mean..."You excited?" seemed a little ridiculous.
Anyways, sorry for the tangent. Point is, I really really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks for taking a picture with me, too!! I've shown it to all my friends who writhed with jealousy. (Writhe is an awesome word) I've long thought you're pretty fantastic...the "about me" section on your blog also happens to describe me. And I loved your essay on Lady in the Water, if only for the Lord of the Rings references slipped in there. My friends tire of my constant references to Frodo and his plight, so I chuckled happily as I read the review.
Wow, this is getting a bit long. Anyways. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate you and how happy I was to get to meet you!!!! Thanks, and...redheads rock! ;-)
::HUGS:: Ah Melissa, I'm so sorry you're so miserably sick! I HATE Pink Eye! It is the absolute worst!
Rest up loads! Thanks for all the work for the fans the last few weeks. I know it means loads to us all and are all sorry you got sick over it :(
I got to meet you twice during your long adventure and I must say you were very VERY sweet/kind/wonderful and all that jazz for both meetings. With your ears going haywire I'm surprised and impressed that you maintained such a happy and positive atmosphere!
WE LOVE YOU!!! Get better soon!!!
This is horrid. I can tell you that ear infections can be very hard to get rid of as I've been fighting one off and on since April. Just watch out you don't end up with vertigo! It's the pits. We need you well and happy. Now go get some more sleep if you can ;)
Aww, Get Better Soon!
I have a perferated ear drum, so I end up with it 'not right' nearly all the time. Rather annoying actually. Anyways, wasn't Vegas hot?! (temp wise)
Awww, Melissa! I'm so sorry. I hope you get better soon. I'm 'sick' myself, but more out of post-Lumos depression than pink eye (and ear infections, and upper respiratory infection).
Anyhow, I'll be in New York next week. I probably won't get to see you, since you'll be all busy recovering and doing all the stuff someone does when they get back from the best two weeks of their lives, but I'll carry a Get Well Soon card in my backpack along with some comfort coffee just incase ;-). In any case, I still had much fun meeting you at Lumos--and so far, I don't have pink eye.
Hope to see you in NY! And get well soon!
-Rashmi.
Dude. It's YOUR FAULT I've been having ear trouble since I came back from Vegas!
Just kidding, of course. Glad you got the drugs to clear all that up. :P
It's scary, actually, because I think a lot of people would be proud to get pink eye from you. I can picture it now...
Fan A; "Oh my GOD! You'll never guess what Melissa Anelli just gave me!!!"
Fan B; "Errr...an autograph?"
Fan A; "Nope. Pink eye!"
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