Struck down!

Ahoy. Yep, three days ago an unknown invader gained entry into my body, and wreaked havoc. Fortunately my awesome immune system put the beat-down on the invading bastard(s). All in all, pretty normal for this time of year. I have allergies. Pollen = sinus infection = weakened immune system = larger, worse infection takes hold. I get sinus infections all the time, its been par for the course for decades. No biggie, for the most part. But, in the spring and fall, the recurring sinus infections seem to pave the way for other nasties. Tuesday, I woke up feeling rotten. Went in to work late, and slogged through the day. Went in to work for a whole hour Wednesday, then gave up the fight and went home. Spent today largely unconscious, as my super-powered immune system waged war on the encroaching barbarian hordes. Fatigue, fever, cold sweats, aches, headaches...all signs of an immune system valiantly and - so far - successfully fending off attack. I can't recall any illness bad enough to need external intervention, a.k.a. antibiotics/antivirals. Someday, I'm sure I will meet my match, but not yet. Until next time, evil minions of microscopic mayhem. Score another one for the homo sapiens immune system, incredibly complex and effective marvel of evolution.

Being educated in molecular biology, as I am, gives you an appreciation for the immune system. So, dear reader, next time you get the "common cold" take a moment to thank your body for the tireless war on invaders it fights on your behalf. Don't mope around cursing your body for aching, or sneezing, or getting a fever...it's doing it for you. Unless, of course, you are a victim of an extreme auto-immune disorder, in which case you have my full sympathy. The immune system is, as a said, a marvelous and wonderful thing. But the same traits that make it nearly invincible, make it equally hard to control when things go wrong.

But for the rest of us, when you get sick, go to bed and let your body do what it does best. Fight. Well, maybe the 2nd best...we all know what the #1 priority of our body is. And depending on your preferences, it may have something to do with this:Yow. I need to go do some sit-ups. Maybe a lot of sit-ups.