So I guess the best way to get started is to start here and now.

I have a sore throat. What do I do for that? I gargle with salt water, take Cold Snap (a Chinese herbal: http://ohco.com/index.php), vitamin D3 drops, vitamin C (Ester-C Calcium Ascorbate), Nature's Way Sambucus Immune Lozenges... the list can go on a while longer but I think you already get the idea.

The last time I had a cold, one that really "got" me I mean, was long ago enough now that I don't honestly remember. I know I've had other bugs since that last cold whenever it was but by recognizing symptoms early enough and being really proactive none of them have bothered me much until this one. This cold snuck in under the radar because of St. Patrick's day.

William, Tania, Mike and I played a 12 hour day at F. X. McRory's pub in Pioneer Square in Seattle, Washington. We had a couple of warm up gigs at the same place (about 3 hours each) and a coffee house concert with two days off to recover before St. Pat's. I was pleasantly surprised at the end of that long, noisy and very fun day to find that I wasn't exhausted. I was tired and ready to go home but I wasn't exhausted. Neat! I was very pleased, fell into bed and woke the next morning still tired.

I was expecting to be tired. I mean, we rarely play 12 hour gigs and in the past when we did this as a yearly event I would be just hammered afterward, wrung out, stupid with fatigue, ears ringing, etc. This time I was just... tired. So I rested, drank lots of herbal tea and just generally took it easy. I figured a day of rest and I'd be back on top of things. Another good night's rest and I woke up still tired.

Okay. I had some things to do, I got them done but didn't push, just gently pedaled through the day, drank lots of herbal teas, slept well and woke up...

Yep, tired. Dang.

Well, I had a date with a dear friend involving her horses, sharing Reiki with her and maybe even doing some EFT (Emotional Freeing Technique) with her so I made an effort, took a couple of aspirin and had a wonderful day. Got home, drank herbal teas, fell into bed and woke up...

Not feeling so great. Still tired. Double dang.

Well, we had a birthday party to go to and I really didn't miss it. I did some EFT and drank a little mild green tea and felt better so off we went to the party. By the time we walked in the door I knew I was sick. I warned people away from me and managed to have a nice time for a while but I just couldn't take the noise and the, well, everything, so I went out to the car and lay down in the back seat for a while wishing I had my usual collection of preventives with me.

I rested for an hour or so but realizing I just wasn't going to get any better and that I was actively getting worse, I went and found William and my Mom and we went home. Here's how sick I was feeling- I asked one of them to drive.

If I had caught the symptoms early enough I might have averted this cold. I also might not have been able to stop it. Maybe my body needed the lesson this virus had for me. Regardless, I spent three days in bed feeling pretty miserable. I'm much better now but last night I felt a spot in my throat get sore and it's still sore now.

I'm going to bed.

PS Just in case you think this blog is going to be a collection of "gee, I was sick" stories, no it's not. I have a plan...