Tardy

What is the definition of tardy or tardiness? According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, they define it as the following.

Definition of Tardy

1: moving slowly : SLUGGISH
// the tardy pace at which she was obliged to walk
— Charles Dickens

2: delayed beyond the expected or proper time : LATE
// a tardy arrival

3: an instance of being tardy (as to a class)

Dictionary.com defines it this way.

adjective, tar·di·er, tar·di·est.

• • late; behind time; not on time:
  • moving or acting slowly; slow; sluggish.
  • delaying through reluctance.

Synonyms

belated, delayed, delinquent, overdue, sluggish, not done, procrastinating, slack, slow, strapped for time, too late, unpunctual

What’s my point with ‘Tardy?’

Why am I writing about #tardy and #tardiness? It’s because I am tardy in delivering Book 4 four in the Consortium Series. I only have a few more chapters to write, minor compared to the rest of the book, but unwritten for many weeks.

You might think I am dealing with writer’s block. It happens to all writers, and I am no exception. Writer’s block may have contributed to my tardiness in a small way, but not really. 

You see, I’ve had a rough time health-wise since the end of October. Thankfully, it wasn’t Covid-19 related, but I was concerned it might have. By mid-November, I was experiencing many of the symptoms but not all. On the day I got my first test, which turned out negative, I knew I was dealing with a bad cold.

A cold? Colds are not usually all that bad. This time, I spent four and a half days never getting out of bed except to use the bathroom and eat a couple of crackers. On the fifth day, I finally felt well enough to move around a bit and eat a little soup. The cold progressed well after that, and my doctor seemed okay with my progress.

If you want to know how bad it was, I didn’t have a cup of coffee for more than two weeks. I love my coffee, but I hated the idea of even a sip during my illness. Yeah, it was bad, but I was getting better.

Out of Control

That is until the after-effects hit me. In the week following my return to work, I still felt a tightness in my chest. I figured it would resolve itself. I was wrong.

On a Friday in early December, sitting at my desk working on a project, I suddenly felt chest pain, as I’ve never felt before. Later, I described it as a sledgehammer smashing into my sternum…from the inside. I rated it nine out of ten. It doubled me over in pain.

Taking my senses, I started evaluating the rest of me. I discovered I was lightheaded and felt tingling in my extremities. Taking my pulse, it felt normal, slow and steady. Still, there were enough signs of a cardiac condition that I was worried.

I decided to head to the nurse’s office in the building where I work. Within a minute of walking in there, everything was out of my control. They called for an ambulance, and I was on my way to the hospital.

Diagnosis and Prognosis

Long story short, after a day in ED, I didn’t have to spend the night. It was not a cardiac event but rather an “unspecified upper respiratory infection.” In reading the X-Ray report later, they mentioned a ‘lower left lung pneumonia.’

Well, that explains a lot. I last had bacterial pneumonia twenty-five years ago. That was my second in my life, and now the third in my history. I’m getting better, with two rounds of antibiotics and lots of rest. Rest is not a problem. I’m generally weak, needing an afternoon nap almost every day. Often, it’s a struggle to stay up until my regularly scheduled bedtime.

This week, I’m doing better, and I expect to be passed this by the first of the new year. 2020 throws yet another wrench in an otherwise terrible year.

The funny thing is, I have a pneu vaccine ready and waiting, which I was suppose to get right after getting over my cold. It’s been postponed a couple more weeks. A little to late? I don’t think so. It’ll protect me in the future.

Looking forward

All of which, plus the holidays now upon us, leaves me very tardy in delivering the next installment of Avril’s story in the #Consortium Series. I apologize, as I know, I’ve told many of my readers that it would be out by now. I beg your indulgence and forgiveness. 

I’m getting back, slowly but surely. I’m trying to write a little each day, though getting an entire chapter done is hard. I can’t keep sitting on my ass and doing little. My ass hurts too much when I sit too long. 

Barring any more unforeseen circumstances, it’s coming. 

To all my readers, I wish you Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and كل عام و أنتم بخير and a better and happier New Year. Forgive me if I miswrote the Muslim greeting. I Googled the greeting. If it’s not quite right, I apologize.