Welcome to the ‘Living Single’ series.

I’ve moved from the sleepy little beach town I called home to the big (?) city (no, it’s just a lot of burrows that make no rational sense or order), which, while in the same state, has a completely foreign atmosphere to me.

While it’s great to remember the feeling of having my own apartment, with my own patio, plants and complete control of playlists, living single presents its own set of challenges.

Like, when you’re at a biologically heightened risk of death….

My fever had raged on at something like 102.7 for five days. The emergency room doctor wanted to do a spinal tap. Nothing would break the fever. The Dr. couldn’t find enough ways to remind me of what I knew quite well, that any alteration in the puncture, and I would be paralyzed. *btw, right after phlebotomy, nurses are trained that this procedure is not to be presented to patients who are experiencing behavior altering states of fever, or are without advocate. (hands up for both of these)

Finally, a refusal to accept paralyzation risk, coupled with relentless fever, forced a clueless discharge from Florida Hospital. Baffled by the fever, but with the knowledge they’d dosed the ‘cash paying’ (wink wink) patient with enough antibiotics to remove themselves from any malpractice risk, one of the medical assistants had found my friend Melissa to pick me up.

And what a good thing Melissa existed. She was an amazing person and got married and all of that wonderful stuff, but in terms of this moment in time, what an MVP… I had only hospital socks on my feet, had arrived via ambulance in donut and coffee boxers coupled with 2 sweaters, but no regular shirt… and this was it in terms of my ride home. I had no phone with me. There was no service to drive you home. I would have been walking down 436 trying to figure out if it was Seminole had this broad not existed…

And look, I’m a self sufficient gal, but I’m talking awful fever, can’t move, throw me in a river, unimaginable sick.  I’m alone in a new town, no family nearby, so I had to get seriously resourceful. If you’re also living single, and are coming down with a sickness, here are some quick tips on getting through it.

Surviving Strep Throat: A Living Single How To

1. Family, Friends, Roommates or Neighbors

Family is an obvious here, but if you’re like me and far from family, find friends, neighbors, roommates, bell boys, whoever you can, to stock you up with gatorade, medicine and regular check ins if you’re symptoms are getting worse.

2. Jam Out

Music helps to constantly release healthy endorphins. This is at a low level, of course, but if you’re miserably sick, avoid silence. Put on something you love, and you’ll heal faster. (It’s science)

3. No Nyquil Fueled Text Messages

I know, you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus then thrown over the freeway underpass. You feel alone and start romanticizing the past. Stop it!

It’s just the Sudafed and sleep meds. Don’t text any exes in your miserable state.

You’ll feel better soon.

Thanks for tuning in to the first Living Single Series.

Happy New Year 2014!