capitulation
October 25, 2011, 5:25 P.M.

I finally decided, at the rather advanced age of 48, that I should go to the doctor when I have bronchitis. I was actually fighting the idea, as usual, but a couple of people whose opinions I respect were pretty insistent that I quit screwing around and get to the Dr. already.

And I'm seriously getting too old to bull my way through these infections. I just don't have the energy for the sleepless nights anymore, for one thing.

Plus, when I really thought about it, I realized that the main thing I have spent the few decades dreading about a bronchitis visit has been the whole smoking thing.

Which is, as of today, is a whole nine months removed from being an issue!

So I called the office and got an appointment with Janet the NP. It was at 2:30, which got me out of the office early. But since the two people I mentioned above are MY boss, and HER boss, it wasn't a big deal.

The verdict was, of course,bronchitis. Secondary bacterial infection following an upper respiratory infection. Ten days of antibiotics and a bottle of codeine-based cough syrup--which I promptly took too much of, because I can't read the damn label. But it works for a cough, which is a helluva lot more than it does for pain. At least when you double the dosage, anyway! Whoo! Think I'll go to bed, as soon as I feed the dog!