THUM-THUMP, THUM-THUMP, THUM-THUMP counts my frantic heart as it drags out the seconds. My breathing is shallow, my palms are turning clammy and I’m staring to doubt the deodorant that I put on this morning. The paper crinkles under me as I nervously shift, kicking my feet in rhythm with my pulse. Faintly I hear the sound of a clip board being pulled out, papers being sifted through and finally, the door knob turning.

The doctor is in.

I’ve always dreaded doctors, and I know the first comment here is going to be, “oh honey, I dread them too”. Truth is, nobody wakes up wanting to go to the doctor. Nobody likes when someone shoves a large Popsicle stick down your throat, getting poked and prodded at and having to take deep breaths when all you want to do is spit out all that has been bothering you. Some part of me always doubts that I’m sick, to the point that I have to make sticky notes just to list things that I’m feeling. For now, its the usual, runny nose, sneezing, congestion. . .normal signs of a sinus infection which I get quite regularly.

But I ask, what is it about going to the doctors that makes you feel like such a liar? Like if you miss one thing, like, oh did I mention the headaches? or I’malsohavingalotoftroublewiththis, the doctor might tell you to go get your head examined instead. I keep waiting to here, “Take the highway to the first exit, go straight down that road until you see the crazy house. You’ll run into a guy  in a white coat named Max. Give him the pass code and they’ll give ya an evaluation without the straight jacket”. I know its an over reaction, this doctor is kind. He’s heard all this at least fifty times today I’m sure. He made appropriate Mmmhmmm and Aha, yup‘s before I could even get a sentence out.

Not a big diagnosis, here’s a antibiotic to clear ya up, call in a few weeks, thanks have a good day.

Man am I a wuss. So if you’re suffering through worse than a simple sinus infection, or any sort of struggle, my heart goes out to you. Someone a lot stronger and more brave than me is in need of prayers and support right now. Her name is Amber. She is a vivacious, beautiful thirty-one year old mother of four going through a tough time. She is going into an intense surgery on the thirteenth of this month, and she’ll need all the support the Internet has to give. If you can, leave a comment on her blog or send a prayer her way. She deserves every word of it.

I TOOK THE DAY OFF OF WORK TODAY. Whether it was the dizziness as I stepped out of the shower, the growling, lurching sound of my empty stomach as it considered spilling green acidic fluid everywhere, or the ear aches that convinced me to stay, I’m still not sure.

I am sure, however, that I am not someone that enjoys staying home. Here is my reasons why I’d rather go to work (please forgive my crazy reasoning. I have a fever of a hundred and fifty degrees right now it seems, and my brain doesn’t function properly while fully cooked).

(Apparently Eddie thinks he needs the day off)

1. It pays. Ok this one is obvious, but I’d rather feel productive, and I’m certainly not earning any money sitting on my rear.
2. Social Interaction. After eight hours listening only to the voices in my head and the drama on TV, I am convinced that Suri Cruise must have a real tough life at age four, the Kardashians cannot act no matter what amount of training classes, and E news makes even the most boring celeb life (I’m looking at you, Billy Ray) look like the most fascinating thing us humans have seen since the invention of sliced cheese.
3. No guilt. I hate taking work off. Feel bad each time, like I’m the worlds worst worker and all fingers are pointing at me. Me me me. That’s all I think about when I’m sick. At work, you focus on other tasks, other to-dos and other people. Selflessness is one of my major goals in life.  I will never reach it with counteractive selfishness.
4. Tasks. Things to do, that I can accomplish. When you’re sick, you’re stuck like a turtle on its back, helpless to do anything. I’ve been trapped in my own head and body all day (again, with the focused on me). Nothing that I can do that doesn’t require a massive amount of energy.
5. Food. When you’re on a lunch break, the world is your buffet. I have about twenty different fast food places around my work. Right now, food is a foreign word that only induces the green monster in my stomach to gurgle, reminding me why I haven’t eaten.
6. Normalicy. I’ll never take for granted the fact that work will be the same tomorrow as it was today. Stability is a nice reprieve after the roller coaster of sensations one gets from being ill. I feel like I’m playing a part in the Katy Perry song “Hot and Cold”.
7. End of the day. When you end a day at work, you walk out ready to have a great evening. Hopefully you feel good with the work you have done. When you’re done with a day of being sick what is there? Nothing. Not a dang thing. The only thing you’ve done is wasted a whole day because you were sick. . .and there is no guarantee that you won’t be sick tomorrow.
8. Being sick is boring. This one is self explanatory. If it isn’t, go find the nearest coughing mucus bag and ask them to shake your hand.

To begin with, this was supposed to be a list of ten. I guess one more we can unofficially add is the lack of focus. Now, please forgive me for stepping away from the computer and curling up in a little ball. Don’t judge me – what comes around, goes around *coughs*.

Happy Karma to you too!

And I’m sure that because of that last remark, I’ll be sick all week.