June 8, 2001

Sick to death?
   by indavis <isaac@dontforgetthemilk.com>

Well, I am sitting here not feeling too well. I could feel it coming on last night. I had a little sore throat, and knew what was going to happen. I don't know what it is. A cold? Could be just allergies. Whatever it is, it gets a Pfft!. I am not going to get into the whole "we can put a man on Mars, but we can't figure out a cure for ...." debate. I am sure there is a reasonable scientific explanation on why the common cold is so elusive to modern medicine. But when your nose is running, and your throat is burning every time you swallow, and your head is pounding, science doesn't really matter too much. It just makes me keenly aware of what a really bad old person I am going to be. I think that getting sick every now and then might actually do you some good, exercising your immune system, but I also know that you don't realize how much work your immune system is doing constantly anyway. Well, look at AIDS, when your immune system goes, so do you. Immune system or not, I just don't look forward to ailing health and doctors. Who does?

Since I have shifted to the subject of health care, I will admit it, I am one of the more squeamish people on this planet. I don't like needles. Don't like seeing them, don't like hearing about them. In fact, Pfft! to the news every time they tell you about an epidemic, flu season, or anything even remotely medically related. They always have to blast someone across the screen getting a shot. CUT IT OUT! I have been this way since I was a kid, and it hasn't gotten any better. Based on this non-curving progression, I figure I am going to be an awful senior citizen. While I am at it, Pfft! on failing health. I can tell now that I'm not going to be a very happy camper. With any luck, I will go like my great-grandfather, who walked out to his chair outside, sat down, fell asleep and never woke up. It can't get any more peaceful than that. For some reason I don't think that's the ending in store for me. Who knows? I am sure I will revisit this whole subject the next time I am sick. Isaac

P.S. That whole Mars thing was just to see if you were paying attention. If you still don't know what I am talking about, maybe Jay Leno can interview you next time he is on the street.

Published: June 9, 2001
Editor: stacy