I'm sick!
Not the kind of sick that sends you sprinting into the arms of a psychiatrist, although I know a number of people who would argue that's exactly where I belong.
And, who knows: in the end they could be right! Aside from that, who am I to argue! Especially, when the numbers suggest that one out of every four people is nuts. Think about that for a moment: one out of four! If that really is the case, you need to think about your three best friends. Do they seem normal? Are they OK? If they do, and if they are: chances are you're "the One!"
But, even that's OK. Because, I for one, think 'normal' is more than a little over rated!
I'm talking about 'sick' as in infirmed. You know, head stuffed up, runny nose, chest congestion, head ache, and on and on and on! the kind of sick that makes you look terrible and feel worse, the kind of sick you won't do anything about because you think it's 'just a cold' and going to go away any minute. That's the kind of sick I'm talking about...
When it became apparent the symptoms were getting worse and not better, I began to think it might not be a cold after all: I decided it had to be the flu! But, which one...
Was it the 'normal,' run of the mill kind of influenza that's currently making its rounds? Or, could it be something more exotic? After all, I did fly to Philadelphia and back. I was in an airplane: an aluminum alloy germ factory, for more than ten hours! The temperature change was violent: seventy degrees here, twenty-five there. In fact, I just missed the almost three feet of snow they just experienced!
And, what about that weird guy in seat just behind me... the one hacking up a lung all the way to Los Angeles! He didn't look like he was from either Philadelphia or L.A. In fact, he didn't look or sound like he was from anywhere on this side of the world.
He looked like a carrier, if I ever saw one: the kind of guy who wouldn't miss an opportunity to kiss a pig!
Or, that woman... the one just across from me, the one with the little kid who kept sneezing. Or, the flight attendant with the runny nose.
That was just a week ago, and now I'm the one sneezing: the one coughing, the one with the runny nose.
I let this run its course for last couple of days hoping against hope I would turn the corner and start to feel better. I took my vitamins, downed my supplements, drank my orange juice: all to no avail. So, this afternoon I went to the doctor only to find out that what thought was a cold in the beginning, and the flu in the end: was really bronchitis coupled with a sinus infection complicated by a very, very sore throat!
The doctor told me to go home and get into bed... I told her that she's been reading too much fiction! I can't. I don't have that luxury. And, I'm not sure I would go home and get into bed even if I could. I know there are plenty of things you can do in bed when you're feeling OK. But, what is there to do in bed besides sleep WHEN YOU ARE FEELING LOUSY!
And, that's not the worst of it! Being sick is annoying and downright inconvenient! I want to go to the "Y" and swim. I can't - partially, because I know I'll sink to the bottom of the pool and drown the way I feel right now. And, partially, because I don't want to be the guy responsible for getting half the people in the pool sick: the one responsible for the next pandemic!
I want to get back to my martial arts training. But, I can't, pretty much for the same reasons. I have all kinds of other things to do. But, I can't. For the most part, because I've got nothing left by the time I get home from the shop at night.
So, if you come to the shop tomorrow don't shake my hand. If you do, ask for the Purell. It's waiting for both of us just behind where I sit. I'll understand. In the meantime, I'm going to take the bag full of medication the doc prescribed for me and get into bed because I'm sick and sick sucks, and the only thing I feel like doing is sleep...
Not the kind of sick that sends you sprinting into the arms of a psychiatrist, although I know a number of people who would argue that's exactly where I belong.
And, who knows: in the end they could be right! Aside from that, who am I to argue! Especially, when the numbers suggest that one out of every four people is nuts. Think about that for a moment: one out of four! If that really is the case, you need to think about your three best friends. Do they seem normal? Are they OK? If they do, and if they are: chances are you're "the One!"
But, even that's OK. Because, I for one, think 'normal' is more than a little over rated!
I'm talking about 'sick' as in infirmed. You know, head stuffed up, runny nose, chest congestion, head ache, and on and on and on! the kind of sick that makes you look terrible and feel worse, the kind of sick you won't do anything about because you think it's 'just a cold' and going to go away any minute. That's the kind of sick I'm talking about...
When it became apparent the symptoms were getting worse and not better, I began to think it might not be a cold after all: I decided it had to be the flu! But, which one...
Was it the 'normal,' run of the mill kind of influenza that's currently making its rounds? Or, could it be something more exotic? After all, I did fly to Philadelphia and back. I was in an airplane: an aluminum alloy germ factory, for more than ten hours! The temperature change was violent: seventy degrees here, twenty-five there. In fact, I just missed the almost three feet of snow they just experienced!
And, what about that weird guy in seat just behind me... the one hacking up a lung all the way to Los Angeles! He didn't look like he was from either Philadelphia or L.A. In fact, he didn't look or sound like he was from anywhere on this side of the world.
He looked like a carrier, if I ever saw one: the kind of guy who wouldn't miss an opportunity to kiss a pig!
Or, that woman... the one just across from me, the one with the little kid who kept sneezing. Or, the flight attendant with the runny nose.
That was just a week ago, and now I'm the one sneezing: the one coughing, the one with the runny nose.
I let this run its course for last couple of days hoping against hope I would turn the corner and start to feel better. I took my vitamins, downed my supplements, drank my orange juice: all to no avail. So, this afternoon I went to the doctor only to find out that what thought was a cold in the beginning, and the flu in the end: was really bronchitis coupled with a sinus infection complicated by a very, very sore throat!
The doctor told me to go home and get into bed... I told her that she's been reading too much fiction! I can't. I don't have that luxury. And, I'm not sure I would go home and get into bed even if I could. I know there are plenty of things you can do in bed when you're feeling OK. But, what is there to do in bed besides sleep WHEN YOU ARE FEELING LOUSY!
And, that's not the worst of it! Being sick is annoying and downright inconvenient! I want to go to the "Y" and swim. I can't - partially, because I know I'll sink to the bottom of the pool and drown the way I feel right now. And, partially, because I don't want to be the guy responsible for getting half the people in the pool sick: the one responsible for the next pandemic!
I want to get back to my martial arts training. But, I can't, pretty much for the same reasons. I have all kinds of other things to do. But, I can't. For the most part, because I've got nothing left by the time I get home from the shop at night.
So, if you come to the shop tomorrow don't shake my hand. If you do, ask for the Purell. It's waiting for both of us just behind where I sit. I'll understand. In the meantime, I'm going to take the bag full of medication the doc prescribed for me and get into bed because I'm sick and sick sucks, and the only thing I feel like doing is sleep...
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