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.
