Girl, Interrupted

Two very bad things have happened today. First, I woke up with a sore throat. My throat has been sore off and on for a few days (usually morning and night but fine in between) so I went on with my day.

My sore throat got worse as the day wore on, and then my neck started to get stiff. Towards the end of the work day it felt as it my entire neck had seized up. This was the second bad thing. I couldn't turn to look left or right, or up and down, and even bending over to pick something up off the floor was really painful.

The problem is I don't know if my neck is this stiff and extremely sore in connection with the sore throat or if I've pulled a muscle or strained my neck while shredding. In the level two warm-up, Jillian incorporates some neck stretches, so there must be some neck stressing exercises in the work-out.

So after work I managed to make my way to the bus stop and as I was walking, I thought things were starting to feel better but by the time I got home I was in so much pain, I laid down flat on the couch and tried to massage my neck, which felt better in the moment. Which leads me to believe I've strained or pulled my neck. Yes, my glands feel swollen and are tender to the touch but it feels like it goes deeper and further than that.

I had hubby stop at the drug store on the way home and he soon arrived with cepacol lozenges and Tylenol. I also have the hot water bottle on my neck. An hour later and I'm feeling much better. Throat is still sore, especially painful to swallow, but it's not as bad. My neck is much improved and I can turn it in every direction and it just feels mildly strained. A slight burn. Like my hamstrings have felt since starting level two!

So, is the improvement thanks to the massaging, the tylenol, the hot water bottle, the resting? All of the above? I'm not sure.

Regardless, it does mean there will be no shred for me today. Which upsets me and makes me sad as I really wanted to do this for 30 days in a row to see what would happen. Hubby is doing the best he can to convince me that my outcome in the end is not going to change because I've missed one day. And if it really is an injury, I could make it worse and then end up missing a week or two. Not to mention the sore throat. If my neck wasn't sore, I'd work out anyway, which probably would not help my case--and in fact probably do more harm-- if it's a virus. And, to be honest, I'm exhausted. Perhaps I've worn myself out. I've definitely been staying up too late, on top of all the exercise...

So for tonight it's lots of liquids and early to bed to try and beat this. Hopefully my neck is fine in the morning. And maybe it's time for some ice cream. That's obligatory when you have a sore throat, is it not?