Hi Everyone,
I was traveling recently and found myself in rooms full of sick people for several days in a row. It could not be helped, and so I did my best at performing what little social distancing I could, and hand washing with soap. But, looking around me and seeing everyone coughing, I figured that my prospects were not looking too good.
After returning home, I felt fine the next day. I had just started to entertain the hopeful notion that I had somehow miraculously escaped exposure to the multitude of viruses that had no doubt been circulating in the conference rooms. And then it began. It started like it always does, with a little tickle in the throat. I woke up the next day with a sore throat on one side. The day after that, it had progressed to a full-blown sore throat. Well, I thought, here we go. It was too good to be true. Of course I caught something. What was it? Covid? The flu? A cold? RSV? Or some other lesser known virus that was equally good at causing misery?
I started my usual regimen of Vitamin C, taking 2 grams every four hours. The next day, I still had the sore throat, and in addition to that a terrible headache had started. I took some Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and tried to forget about it. But the thing about headaches is that they are so persistent. And annoying.
The next day I started to worry about what it might be. It was obvious that something was happening. What had I caught? How sick was this going to make me? Was this just a prelude to something much worse? How long was I going to be in bed? How much work would I miss?
I decided that, rather than guessing and wondering and worrying, I’d take the scientific approach and try to gather some data. First was a home Covid test. This was quick and easy and within fifteen minutes I knew the result: it was not Covid. Whew!
Next, I wondered about the other possibilities. Could it be Strep? The sore throat certainly felt bad enough. So I made an appointment at an Express Care clinic and requested a test for Strep, which they promptly did.
It came back negative.
“Do you want to try a test for flu?” they asked casually.
“Sure, why not,” I replied, “I’m here, might as well find out what this is.”
“Most people who come in with flu are usually laid out on the exam table. They don’t present like you are. No fever, no other symptoms except the sore throat and headache.”
“And increased phlegm,” I added.
“Yes, the post-nasal drip.”
An hour later, the results were in: It was Influenza Type A.
It was surprising, because usually influenza knocks me down for over a week with high temperature, fatigue, exhaustion, malaise and recurring fever. But this time, something was different. I was walking around and generally felt normal except for the annoying headache and sore throat.
I’m not sure if it was the green drink I’ve been drinking for the past year, or the Time-Restricted Eating, or the vitamins, or cutting back on sugar and processed foods, or the exercise . . . Or maybe it’s a synergistic combination of all of the above. But it certainly felt like my immune system response this time around was way stronger than in the past. My headache was gone by Day 4 and the sore throat had subsided by Day 5. After that, I felt totally fine. I don’t even know if I got a fever at all.
I could resume normal activities and the whole episode felt like nothing more than a hiccup. How did this happen? I’m still trying to figure this out. But, the important thing that this experience underscores is the importance of good health. If you have excellent health, you can do everything else that you want to in life. If you don’t, then even getting out of bed can become a major life challenge.
My mother always to say, “Health is Wealth!” And I truly believe it. We must take steps (literally) to tend to our own garden of health every day. Whether that means making time for your daily walk, or meditating, or ensuring there are enough fresh vegetables and leafy greens in your diet, it’s critically important to pay attention to this domain of your life. For it will serve you well, pay you back manyfold, and may even protect you when you find yourself in a room full of nasty viruses that are out to get you.
Writing Updates
New story Humdardee published in Ansh:
If you are sympathetic to someone who has had a misfortune, you are kind to them and show that you understand how they are feeling. Humdardee is the word in Panjabi that describes this. And Preetam is about to find out what this means in a visceral sense.
Also published in General fiction:
New story Enemy Combatant:
The soldier was confident that he knew the rules of engagement. But, as he was soon to find out, things are far more complicated on the ground.
New story published in Science Fiction, Rule 12:
What is Rule 12? And why is it so important?
And finally, a short story in honor of the solar eclipse, Totality:
It seems like Erik is the only one not interested in witnessing the great solar eclipse. But people from thousands of miles away are descending upon his small rural town for a event that will unexpectedly change his life forever.
Random Fact of the Day
In the average lifetime, a person will walk the equivalent of 5 times around the equator.
Reframe of the Day
It’s hard to get rid of negative thoughts. If something is worrying you, chances are that it will keep nagging at you every few minutes, intruding upon your thoughts and making you pensive and concerned. Some of us might even sit down and start brooding. It doesn’t really work to just say to yourself, “Cut it out!” and get back to your normal day, because negative thought patterns don’t work that way. If you are facing this issue, try a different technique: crowd out the negative thoughts by using up all your mental bandwidth. In other words, get yourself so busy that you don’t have time to ruminate. If you have little kids, this will come easily. They demand so much of your attention that you scarcely have time to think for yourself. But even if you are not a parent, there are other ways to structure your day for maximum busy-ness (or “productivity”). Try it, you’ll see that it strangely works.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.
jsk