I hate being sick!!

My Favorite Domer burned the candle at both ends when he first got to Notre Dame and wound up with a big-time cold. He felt rotten for a few days, but thank heaven, he’s young and strong, and his body quickly fought the virus off.

I didn’t catch his cold, but I caught somebody’s — and whoever you are, I’m NOT happy about it!

Why can’t you sick people stay home like all the health experts suggest? No, you’ve just got to run to the store, the shopping mall, church — everywhere but where you should be, which is safely tucked away in your home (or a doctor’s office). How can the rest of us stay healthy when you’re out spreading your germs, sneezing, coughing, sputtering, and all that? You’d think you’d want to stay home when you feel ill — I certainly do.

When I’m sick, don’t expect me to be out hunting bargains at the department stores; don’t expect me to “share” my germs with everybody else, hoping that, if I pass my illness on, I won’t have it any more.

Rather, you’ll find me taking it easy, sipping lots of water and hot tea, sucking on cough drops, making some chicken noodle soup (yes, it really works!), and getting more rest.

It’s inconvenient (at best) to have a cold. Your throat is scratchy, your nose is runny and stopped-up at at the same time, your head feels like it’s full of cotton. You can’t think clearly, let alone write coherently, and don’t even bother trying to balance your check book! I take care of myself — humidifier in bedroom, eat right, exercise, sleep, annual flu shot — but even people healthy as horses can’t always fight off germs that are blown right at them.

So the next time you’re sick, do the rest of us a favor and stay home. As for me, I’ll just take my crabby self back to bed!