The Joys of Viral Gastroenteritis

I think that catching a stomach virus must be the nadir of everyday life experience. Cancer and other serious illnesses and injuries are in a separate, life-altering category, but everyone gets "the 24 hour flu" occasionally, and during that time it seems like life can't get much worse. Thursday evening through Saturday morning was most unpleasant. This was undoubtedly occasioned by the take-out we ordered for Valentine's Day. Perhaps it had been sitting under a hot lamp for too long. Whatever the reason, it only took about forty-five minutes after consumption to commence wreaking havoc on my digestive system. I'm not normally an advocate of wiping out an entire type of life form, but if I were, these little viral critters would be at the top of my list.

What made this time particularly bad was my inability to help my wife with our son during the time I was incapacitated. I wasn't sure if it was a contagious bug, so I tried to keep my distance. I think this confused the boy and made him difficult to deal with, since it broke the routine we enjoy of Dad putting him to bed each night. I'm sure all will be well now that I'm on the mend... Right after I get some sleep. Perhaps then I can shake this "run over by a freight train" feeling.