I began feeling the symptoms last Saturday and did everything by the book to ward it off: sinus flushes, tons of water, guaifenesin, Emergen-C mixed with a squeezed lemon, and rest.

On Tuesday night, we had a house manager meeting at Schuster, during which we were fed a delicious Greek spread; however, I could barely eat. By Wednesday night at 8:40 PM, I was tucked into bed and did not fully rise today at 4:45 PM except to feed and potty the dogs.

I will admit that I should have ventured out sooner for an urgent care visit, but so often, Colonel Deeds insisted on snuggling with his chin resting across my neck and I couldn’t disturb him. Free nursing is hard to come by.

I planned to be away for several hours or more when I hopped on the bus at 5:15 PM, headed for the Kettering Health Urgent Care in Town & Country. I walked into an empty waiting room, handed over my information, and was in an examining room in under 5 minutes. My vitals were checked and then the nurse practitioner took over.

By 5:35 PM, I was out the door and walking across Shroyer Road to Kroger to grab my prescription and ingredients for chicken and vegetable soup. I stepped off the bus right at 6:19 PM and in the kitchen prepping the soup.

Fortunately, several generous colleagues covered my Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shifts.