Still Tickin'

Generally speaking, I consider myself to be a healthy person.  Oh, I have the occasional bout of sniffles and annoying manifestations of arthritis, like my creaky back or my 'weather toe' that predicts storms with uncanny accuracy, but for the most part, these are little bumps in the road of life that come and go and are quickly forgotten.  I like to think of myself as a person with a lot of stamina, akin to a human Energizer bunny, whose health motto is taken directly from the old Timex commercials - 'Takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'.  

I recently wrote, "Can't keep this old girl down!" in response to someone's kind words of concern when I'd casually mentioned that I was into my second week of 'Montezuma's Revenge'.  (Yes, you read that right....Two weeks worth!)  Somewhere around Christmas day, Gordon and I must have eaten something that disagreed with our 'constitutionals'.  Taking turns sprinting to and from the bathroom soon became a comical dance, but fortunately, a couple of days plus a couple of dozen bismuth tablets later, Gordon was his 'old self' again.  Not so for this gal.  My condition persisted, some days worse than others, but not bad enough for me to miss going to the orphanage.  Finally after two weeks, I relented and took Azythromycin, which set me back on my feet again...well, almost..... 

Right on the heels of the 'Revenge' came a bout of sinusitis, a cold virus I'd probably picked up from one of the kids at the orphanage.  No problem, I thought!  Out came the Daytime/Nighttime cold medicine I'd so wisely packed, which kept me slightly groggy but functioning at an acceptable level.  At the end of the fourth day, I had a sudden burst of energy and felt so totally normal, it was as if I'd made a remarkable recovery.  We even went out for a nice dinner and had a martini (or two) to celebrate.

No telling why, but the next morning I woke feeling like I'd been hit by a truck - cold sweats, weakness, dizziness.  In total denial (or delerium?), I headed off to the orphanage to teach sewing classes anyway. ("Can't keep this old girl down!"?  Yah, right!!)  By noon, my usual hearty appetite had vanished and I could barely stand. 

After two days flat out in bed with what was probably a mild case of the flu, I woke this morning feeling 'almost' normal.  It's amazing what a good rest can do, and how the body heals itself when given the half a chance.  As much as I like to think I'm tough and invincible, and nothing can get me down, occasionally I'm wrong.   

It's been a tough go these past three weeks, but you know, there's always an up-side to everything.  I've lost a few pounds and my clothes fit so much nicer now....  Better still, I didn't feel the least bit guilty today when I ordered hot chocolate instead of tea.

How could something this sinful and decadent cost only $1.00?