Michael Jackson and I have something in common...

So I've had a really bad case of bronchitis. I pulled a muscle in my chest hacking uselessly, and it feels like a knife in my side everytime I cough. I went to my surgeon because, well, my doctor was out of the office and I didn't want to go to doc-in-a-box and get even sicker and I'm friends with my surgeon so I went to see him.

The first thing he did was hand me a face mask and say, "You know you're contagious."

Oh. Ok.

Then he listened to my chest and wrote me some prescriptions. (But not for antibiotics- which is what I kept telling everyone- its not Bacterial!)

He said, "I 'm calling your dad and telling him you need to go home. You need to go home, but if you do go back to work, then wear this so no one else gets sick. " He sighs and says, "And you need to quit smoking."

"I did!" I blurt out, "Yesterday!"

"You still need to stay home and rest or you're going to have pneumonia. You know how bad your lungs are."

So I did. I called my dad and he covered for me on Wed and I was going to cover for him on Thurs just for two hours then go home. Then, wearing the face mask I went to the pharmacy and got my meds. Its amazing how people will get out of your way when you're wearing a face mask. Same went for the grocery store. I was out of there in no time!

So, I rested for two days and then I got up, dosed myself with my meds, the ones I can take and go to court, and went to Court.

When I got there, we were in the downstairs Courtroom which is tiny and crowded.

I put on my mask and was all happy because I was going to not get my friends sick.

But they couldn't deal. Seriously, they were totally freaked out. "What do you mean you just have a cold? You look like you have SARS." said one.

Another was just staring with big eyes.

I noticed the clients sitting in the audience were starting to get nervous.

"I just can't stop coughing and don't want to cough on anyone."

The other attorney for the State just held out her hand, "Give me your files. Go Home. You're freaking everyone out. You're such a dork for thinking we would let you come in here with that thing on."

I handed her the cases and went home.

Note to all: If you want to go home but want to look like you really want to be at work- wear a face mask. I also recommend a lot of coughing that results in a puking convulsion, with or without actual vomit. I always got sent home from work and school when I did that.


Now, I've caught up my work and I'm going home for the weekend!