It's a germ field out there

I feel like I have spent the past six weeks walking through a mine field.

Don’t step there. Don’t touch that. Jump. Go around. Run for cover.

I’m talking about the flu, of course.

And the croup. And the stomach bug.

I cannot remember a winter in recent memory when so many people have been sick.

Coughing. Sneezing. Wheezing. Sniffling.

Feeling rotten. Can’t get out of bed.

Schools have been shut down.

I did have a 24-hour stomach virus the first week of January. Fortunately, it was the weekend, and I didn’t miss any work.

All three of my sons had it, then decided to share it with me. My wife is the only one who didn’t get sick. But she has been attacked twice by terrible colds. Sinus problems sidelined her for a whole week. Believe me, that was a long week for all of us.

I’m not very good at being sick. In fact, I hate to be sick. Who doesn’t?

I don't have time to be sick. I can usually play hurt, though. It’s rare when I take a sick day at work. Unless I’m contagious and running a fever, I’m usually there. I once went eight years without a taking a single sick day. Guess you can say I’ve been blessed, too.

This winter, I’ve been doing everything I can to stay out of sick bay. I try to obey all the safeguards.

I wash my hands frequently. I load up on Vitamin C. I avoid extremes in temperatures.

Part of it’s just plain luck, though. I’ll admit it. You never know where those land mines are hidden.