The Psychology of the Common Cold

For the past few weeks, I’ve been getting sick. I’d start to feel The Sick coming on me, creeping up like bad mojo. No clear cut symptoms, just a general feeling of malaise. Every time that happened, I would finish up my obligations, chug a fizzy Airborne drink, and go to bed. The next morning, ta da! All better.

But I know better. The Sick doesn’t give up that easily. Just before our family’s big trip to Disneyland last weekend, it got stronger. I felt extra terrible. I took to bed once again and slept while the children were at school. I rested on the couch while they played video games. I did the bare minimum of work and I even slept through a conference call.

I sucked it up and did the Disneyland thing. Turns out acting like you’re not sick works for a little while. But once Disneyland was over and I was able to loaf all day at home, boom. It hit me, as they say, like a ton of bricks. Snotty, painful, achy bricks. It’s much worse than it would have been had I allowed it to run its course in the first place. In fact, one might call it the flu, if one weren’t scheduled to attend one’s very first parent-teacher conference this afternoon.

So how is it, then, that I can stave off sickness with my Mind Power but not eradicate it completely? I’m getting exercise, healthy meals, stress relief, and plenty of sleep lately. WTF?