I am in the midst of my third cold since September. There were consecutive years in my recent past when I didn't have one.

The result of this more-or-less permanent infection is that I have been housebound since Thursday, when my latest cold really kicked up its heels.

My prior response to colds has been to get on with my life while keeping the symptoms at bay with meds. Considering the tenacity of my recent infections, I have decided to hunker down until I am symptom free.

This required me to cancel an appointment with my shrink, among other things. However, the worst part of my self-imposed therapy is the boredom of being home all the time. I am also extremely fatigued, doubtless because of my body's immune system fighting the bad microbes, so I am unable to do anything productive during my recovery.

There are times when I feel perfectly OK, and then I will cough and the result will remind me that there is still a fight going on in my chest. I am not feverish, so a visit to the doctor would be fruitless.

It is just a matter of waiting, something I have never been good at.

(Whine, whine whine. . . . )

Cordially,