The home remedy

I don't think many people realize this, but when we are kids there is a magician living in our house. With a tall glass of Sprite always filled and a warm blanket covering our little bodies we lay on THE (we all have one) couch in front of cartoons. Our sickness would fade soon due to this magician. It's not David Copperfield or Sigfried and Roy, but rather our moms.

Now some years have past and we are on our own. In college I never did get too sick, nothing a night of sleep wouldn't fix. Here I am in a new job, in a new environment, and now on the road nonetheless and something has attacked me. The first day I figured I can fight this thing, just go to bed early and tomorrow I'll be A OK. The next day, same thought running through my head. The third day maybe I should go to Meijer (equivalent to a Super Wal-Mart here in the Midwest) and see what kind of medicine they have. After my own purchases and utilizing whatever the roommates had the conditions still persisted. I had taken 4 different kinds of throat losengers (Halls and Ricola included). I was taking them every 30 minutes, it became my crack and I was addicted. Now I thought I would mix it up and take some Tylenol and DayQuil, not to mention just a general purpose multivitamin. My "cocktails" so to speak proved to be ineffective.

In Grand Rapids I decided it's time to see a doctor. So here I am in a new state with a new insurance card and not so sure what to do. A co-worker told me of two places and gave directions to closet one. The closest one wouldn't take my insurance. Blue Shield/Cross from Ford Motor Company I thought would be a secure bet. Now to the next place. All I know is the road I am on and which direction is east and which way is west. Fortunately the receptionist was able to give me directions. She must be a local. One thing is for certain, whenever I buy my next car I will be checking the navigation system box. There is no two ways around it.

Today may have been the first day my health has improved, however oh so slightly. Opening my mouth I can barely see that thing that hangs down. That alone stalagtite attached to the roof is blocked by the swollen sides of my mouth. Everytime I swallow it feels like someone is stabbing me with a knife back there. As gruesome as that may sound I can't compare it to anything else. Eating alone hurts and thats why yesterday consisted of a single donut and half a glass of juice. My diet now mainly consists of Motrin IB, Tylenol, and a prescription drug. I would take this combination more, but the labels have advised me not too. I now feel like I am Bill Murray's character in Groundhog's Day. Everday I wake up on the same day. The alarm clock in a hotel bed and the rest of the room composed of all the same fixtures you see in Holiday Inns and Motel 6's. Those paintings that I wonder where they find, the same brass lamps that are never connected to a switch mounted on the wall, and all the white towels a person staying alone would ever need. Instead of reporting on whether the Groundhog will see it's shadow or running into the same people throughout town, my life has consisted of nothing more than the hotel room. I wake up, roll over, grab the remote and turn it to HBO. When I leave tomorrow for the next Marriott, Home Box Office (his full name) won't be joining me. However he likes to surprise me, glowing at the foot of the bed of my next destination with movies and programming for me to enjoy. He is a loyal friend.