Saturday, March 13, 2010

Brother Virus, Small But Mighty



From wikipedia:
A virus (from the Latin virus meaning toxin or poison) is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the cells of other organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea. There are millions of different types. Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and these minute structures are the most abundant type of biological entity.

So there really is no contest, no point in even trying to fight it. When the nasty cold virus decides it's time to take a bite out of me, I might as well submit, right? Ahhhhh-choooo!

But even as I engage in typical down-with-a-cold behaviors: you know, drinking tea and leaving a trail of crumpled kleenexes in my wake, I always wonder WHY? Why did I catch this cold? Did the ghosts get to me in some way I was unaware of? Was it the extra-dynamic acupuncture I had this week? Did some early season allergy thing kick it into gear? The WHY ME thought form is no doubt left over from my years on the west coast where I believe it's a cultural imperative to believe that all illness happens for a reason. (Here on the east coast, we don't believe in minor illness. At the first sign of a cold, we swallow some toxic, over the counter medicine and go back to work. End of story.)

Maybe today, while it rains and the virus parties in my sinuses, I should get myself back into what I think of as the midwestern mindset, which is: when you get a cold, get in bed, watch movies, read magazines and sleep a lot.

I love the midwestern sensibility. Ahhh ... common sense! Now excuse me while I blow my nose - again!

25 comments:

Carolyn said...

I always follow the "Midwest mindset" and it always works...no use fighting it just roll with the punches! Feel better soon.
Smiles

ellen abbott said...

Oh Reya! Sick again. So sorry. I hope your body fights valiantly and quickly.

Barry said...

Get better soon Reya. But enjoy that Midwest approach while you can.

Linda Sue said...

I agree with taking it easy to give your body a fighting chance, Plus it is a great excuse to allow yourself quiet time- I always go to bed and go to dream world when i have a cold. Mr. Husband on the other hand carries one- pushes his way through it and seems to get better more quickly, different strokes- chicken soup is the cure all- Good organic free range chicken- ginger, garlic, and a bit of barley or rice- YUM. Wish I could bring you some- not sure it would work on a ghost cold.

Linda Sue said...

"carries ON" not one...

Reya Mellicker said...

I have had a lot of colds this year.

Whitney Lee said...

I don't subscribe to the 'suck it up' mentality. I am a major proponent of wallowing in it for a day or two! Baby yourself and get lots of rest. You'll heal much faster!

Kerry said...

Sleep, get plenty of sleep, and then get better. I hope you feel well soon.

Dan Gurney said...

Did you see Bonnie's (Original Art Studio) post about asking the WHY question?

Tom said...

nasty little buggers...ain't they? feel better!

Cyndy said...

A little Fred and Ginger will probably do you some good! I hope your cold goes by quickly.

Nancy said...

Both of my daughters were down this week. But with different viruses. Nasty nonetheless. I'm heading their way next week and can only hope the germs have cleared out - literally.

Hope you feel better soon. I agree with bed, tea and movies. Achooo!

Deborah said...

sneeze on the truth is a phrase which comes instantly to mind

also sneeze out the ghosts and the ghost trails

i suggest you sneeze a lot

and put bowls of kosher salt around

matzo ball soup is also very helpful

love you so

Elizabeth said...

Hope you feel better very soon.

Lots of tea and sympathy winging its way in your direction.
Don't blame those pesky ghosts
much love

Reya Mellicker said...

I guess the ghosts really could not infect me, could they?

Thanks for all the well wishes. I believe it really helps.

kbrow said...

I think I suffer from the "sick for a reason" conviction, as well, and imagine it IS from my 14 years in CA...still I like this Midwestern approach to facing the sickness.

Steve Reed said...

And who doesn't love a little Fred and Ginger?

Hope you feel better!

Cheryl Cato said...

I love that mid-western sensibility. I stayed in bed & slept & vegged until my stomach virus died off. Feel better. Drink plenty of fluids, get rest, you know... all that mid-western stuff!

Gary said...

Perhaps the reiki will help tomorrow.

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

I've always taken getting a cold as a sign to pamper myself. I don't take medicine - I do you "midwestern" thing. It's great.

That photo is the absolute best.

Ronda Laveen said...

I almost spit my drink out when you wrote that on the west coast, the belief is there is a reason for the illness. Rest of the world, it is true, true, true.

I do not like being sick. Did I mention I don't like being sick? Blasting you with long distance Reiki and Diksha.

Ronda Laveen said...

Ha! I just noticed that we both used: achoo in our posts today

karen said...

Hi Reya. I've been away so long, just catching up on your world! Sorry to hear about the miserable cold -I would also go with that "Midwest Mindset"!

I've been reading with fascination about the haunted place, your first official Spring-feeling day, (which was the very same day we felt Autumn down here, actually), your dog-walking and of course the amazing encounter with the soldier back from Afghanistan. I've missed the blog world, but hopefully I'm back again now! Get well soon...

Reya Mellicker said...

Thanks, Karen and all. I feel a lot better today, so it was worth all the hanging out, watching TV all day.

Fresca said...

I hope you're feeling better.

As a Midwesterner, I want to chime in on our mindset:
most people out here, alas, worship at the Cult of Hard Work,
which means you get out there and plough your fields no matter how sick you are.

This winter I saw a big poster in a hospital bathroom exhorting health-care workers to STAY HOME if they are sick.
You have to beat that northern European mindset with a stick to get it to stay in bed.
Almost as bad as that Puritan stock...

Still, whatever you call it, a healing plan of rest is a wise idea!
Let Fred & Ginger knock themselves out.