Misery

2008-09-20

I'm sick. I almost never get sick, but I'm pretty sick right now. Some kind of flu I'm thinking. Sore throat, sneezing, watery eyes, headache, coughing, runny nose. It's not fun. When I was in the backyard earlier this week trying to deal with the downed tree limbs that the remnants of Ike left for me, I was voraciously bitten by some mosquitoes, so I'm imagining that maybe I have some esoteric disease like West Nile or bird flu, but it could just be the flu; I think it's going around.

Being incapacitated like this makes you think different thoughts than when you're healthy. Like, it would be nice to have someone around who might take care of me when I'm sick. I often think I'd like to have someone around to just watch TV with, or eat dinner with or something, but being sick throws more intensity into the thoughts. Makes the being alone more prominent, because you need help and there is none.

My son Jon incapacitated himself a couple of weeks ago by falling off a bicycle that was speeding down a hill and leaving a good sampling of his DNA all over the road. He can't drive, and was probably more aware of his aloneness than I am. I'm miserable, but not incapacitated. He straight up couldn't do things. People have kicked in and helped him. I could ask for help if I really needed it, but like I said, I can do things, it's just painful and uncomfortable. Okay, let's be honest: miserable.

Anyway, I'm kind of bored, but don't feel well enough to do anything. But I'm hoping I sleep better tonight than I did last night; it was probably the fire in my throat that was least conducive to rest. That and the coughing and hacking. I feel somewhat better now, but it's threatening to come back.

So misery loves company, and not in the cliche way.