Sick sucks.

Today I am sick. This is after a few days ago remarking that it was miraculous that I had made it through this much of the semester without getting sick. Well, jinx. It's not a definite cold, and there isn't anything stomachy to it, but I have serious hot and cold streaks (it's 80 degrees in my apartment right now and I am freezing), and no appetite. Also I am dizzy. A poetry professor and a literature professor have both diagnosed me with the flu. I don't want the flu, so I am rejecting that diagnosis.

But this week's topic is being sick, and funny sickness stories. Or if you want to be political, maybe write about US healthcare. For instance, when I worked at my father's office for a while, one of the secretaries used to work at a big insurance company. She told me the company policy was to throw every third claim into the garbage, so it would delay payment that much longer. Most people wouldn't follow up on it for months, and the insurance companies would get to keep their money for a little while. That's a crazy!

Well, the last time I was seriously sick, like for days and days, was when I was a senior in high school. It was over christmas break, and I went downstairs to rest. Well, suddenly I was just weak and pukey, and I couldn't move for five days. Seriously, every time I stood up I would just pass out and wake up a half hour later on the floor. It pretty much blew. During that time I have very few memories. It's like my brain just clicked to animal mode. When I was conscious, it was as though I was watching from behind myself. I mean, not visually, but my mind seemed separated from my body. It was totally fucked up. So hopefully that doesn't happen this time, because I can't cancel class anymore without seriously retooling my lesson plans.

Also, last spring I lost my voice suddenly in the middle of poetry workshop. I couldn't speak at all, and it was my turn to be workshopped. Procedure is that we read our poems aloud. I had my friend Brian Russell read my poem out loud, and he did an impression of my usual reading style. Everybody says it was dead on, but I say I'll get you yet, Brian!

Finally, I recently had finger surgery, but the doctor really messed up my pinky and won't take any of my calls for follow up appointments. That dude sucks.