Over ‘it’: Does it really matter what you call it now?

FROM MY FRONT PORCH

Over ‘it’: Does it really matter what you call it now?

SAM HOUSTON

Sam Houston is the publisher of the Hood County News. He is also an actor, author, playwright, performer and entertainment producer/promoter.

This past week I had the unfortunate experience of suffering a bout of illness, which I refer to as “the crud.” I think this all started about three weeks ago when my granddaughter, Harper, came home from pre-school feeling bad. She suffered with a fever and other symptoms for about 10 days. Naturally, her constant companion, Lolli (my wife’s grandmother’s name), came down with a version of the same malady shortly thereafter. Off and on for four or five days Lolli ran a temperature, was very listless and had no energy.

Being a good sensible person, I abandoned my marital bedroom for a few days and stayed in the guest room, hoping to avoid catching whatever germs were being passed around the Houston domicile. Eventually Lolli improved though her energy level still seemed moderately low. I thought I had been prudent by taking solid prevention techniques to avoid becoming a victim of “what is going around,” but sure enough last Wednesday came the onset of body aches, fever, light headedness and feeling poorly. I did not come to work on Thursday or Friday. While I attempted to do some work from home, I found my head so stuffy and body so achy, the only thing I really wanted to do was sleep.

So how does one treat the crud? Seems like now days one needs an interpreter to know what over-the-counter medicine is best. There is nighttime cold medicine, nighttime flu and cold medicine, daytime flu and cold medicine, extra strength cold and flu and my favorite, severe cold and flu. I find all this a little perplexing because as I was in the drug store looking for the proper medication, I thought, if I am sick, why wouldn’t I take the strongest medicine I can get?  I mean, if I was getting ready to shoot a charging bear, I’d want as much firepower as I can handle, wouldn’t I? I would much rather take a medicine that is going to blow away what is ailing me, than take some lightweight concoction that still leaves you feeling under the weather. The only cold or flu that is not severe, is the one you don’t have!

Then of course there is the diagnosis. Though I have had COVID, taken the vaccination and the booster shots, I still took a test that thankfully turned out negative.  My sweet 91-year-old friend Miss Jayne was very concerned about my health status and naturally the first question out of her mouth was, what do you have? I responded rather directly, “I felt bad.” It made little difference what the medical name was for my malady, the important thing was I felt rotten, and I wanted whatever had attacked and ravaged my body to disappear. Jayne was persistent, “Do you think it is the flu? Could it be COVID? Do you think it is just a cold or maybe the RSP they keep talking about on the news? I wonder where you got it?”

Now I love Miss Jayne and I know she is only concerned about my wellbeing, but for the love of God, knowing what made me sick and giving it a clinical name matters little to me. I want it to be gone. I don’t care what label you give it. As to who or what gave it to me, it is sort of like worrying about the mare running away after forgetting to shut the barn door.

Monday I was back at work as usual. I still don’t feel 100%, but I am gaining on it. Seems like currently the world is a buffet of germs carrying COVID, RSP, the flu, or something else sure to make you ill. I will be glad when summer comes and most of these darn hard to identify sicknesses are gone.

I hope you all are well and staying safe. Being sick is just no fun, no matter where you caught it or what you call it.

Thought for the day: I hate it when people say it could have been worse. It could have been a heck of a lot better, too!

Until next time I will keep ridin’ the storm out.

sam@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 260