Somatic Battlefield

The day before yesterday, that would be Thursday, I woke with a minor, one-sided sore throat.  As I got ready for work it subsided and became barely noticeable after I had my usual coffee from UDF.  I get their Jack’dUp Java, for maximum effect.  I figure that if I’m going to drink something unpleasant for its stimulant effects, best to get the most of it.

As my workday progressed the symptoms of a cold also progressed. My sinuses began to ever so slowly swell. Not enough to need mouth breathing but enough to notice.  The sore throat didn’t come back but my voice started to change, getting huskier, deeper.  I was at a committee meeting at the Hospital Association and over the course of four hours I went from sounding like me to sounding like Morgan Freeman.  Not a bad thing, really, if you feel good while it’s happening, which I most definitely didn’t.

When I got home and dinnertime rolled around, I wasn’t hungry – you’ve seen me and know this isn’t a good sign.  The Missus and I were going to meet Brian at the Rusty Bucket for dinner.  Shelagh went on her own as I wanted to avoid being a latter day Typhoid Mary.  I had probably done enough damage.  I took some cold medicine and went to bed.

At 0 dark-thirty my alarm went off.  My throat was on fire, my sinuses were closed my muscles were sluggish and my head ached.  I had also developed a mildly productive cough.  I got up, took the dogs out and then fed them, hoping the symptoms would subside again.  They didn’t.  I called off work for the day.

Between naps – there were three – I sat around, all bump-on-a-log like, trying to muster the energy to at least read something.  I failed miserably.  Some people will question why I called off work because as far as they can tell that’s what I do in my office every day.  Perhaps.  But at home I got to stay in my pajamas, something that Governors, both Republican and Democrat, frown upon in their employee’s attire. 

I ached all over, felt toxic and couldn’t string two thoughts together.  But as evening approached, I began to feel a bit better and managed to fix myself a bologna sandwich for dinner.  I watched a RedWings hockey game and then went to bed.

I woke up this morning in significantly better shape.  I’m still not well but at least I’m functional.  As I fixed a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast I thought, “Yay, white cells!”  This got me thinking about the body’s immune system.  It’s an incredibly complex thing.  The more you learn about it the more amazing it gets.

The immune system is actually a large, complex set of systems, arranged in a layered defense.  It starts with physical barriers.  Your skin prevents bacteria, viruses and fungi – germs – from entering your body.  The shell of an egg does the same thing for the developing embryo.  Other physical barriers include coughing, sneezing and watering eyes to physically expel invaders.  Enzymes in saliva and tears, and stomach acid (which also contains enzymes) break down germs before they can enter the body.  Mucous snares germs, preventing them from getting to any cells.

If the germs make it past the physical defenses there are many layers of response from your body.  One of the most important is the production of white blood cells called leukocytes.  There are many types of leukocytes, including B cells and T cells, with T cells coming in ‘Killer’ and ‘Helper’ varieties.  Killer T cells do just what the name says – they kill infected cells.  Helper T cells sort of orchestrate the body’s immune response.  They’re kind of like a forward observer directing artillery fire.

A war was being waged inside my body.  Something, probably a virus, had evaded the physical barriers and set up shop, taking control of some of my cells for the nefarious purpose of propagating itself.  My body’s immune system responded, saying, “Not on my watch!” and opened fire.  My ability to perform normal activities of daily living was diminished because energy was being diverted to the immune response, just like wartime rationing (which is why rest is crucial when you’re ill).

When I woke this morning I knew the tide had turned and that I was going to win.  Skirmishes and mop up operations will continue for a couple of days, but my immune system will prevail over the somatic battlefield.