"How do you keep from getting sick?"

As those of you unlucky enough to have had appointments with me last week know, the answer is I don't. For those of you unlucky enough to have this stupid illness, complete with body aches, horrible cough, fever, headache, and congestion, I definitely sympathize.

So far I've: taken enough aspirin to give myself a gnawing pain in the stomach, discovered that Histussin HC cough syrup stops the cough but gives me a wicked migraine, found that Nyquil stops the night-time cough but leaves a morning-long hangover, and thrown the cat's schedule off with my early a.m. visits to the kitchen for hot tea. I managed to be sick through my daughter's entire visit home, so I hack in harmony with those of you who have coughed your way through trips, work presentations, and celebrations.

Today, at last, I'm better. Humbling things these viruses.