One Flu Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

I came down with something on Tuesday night.

All of a sudden I couldn’t get warm.  Not even my cosy jammies helped and after I crawled under the covers and lay there shivering I sent Derek on a wild goose chase for an extra blanket. We still don’t know where it is! He ended up bringing me a cotton throw which not only worked well but happened to be in a colour that complimented our comforter. Bonus!

I woke up Wednesday morning with a splitting headache and an aching everything else.  Even my hair follicles were sore.  I felt like I’d lost a couple of rounds at UFC with Sam Stout.  But we had a big meeting planned at work, a Grand Poobah was coming in to chat with all of the announcers and I really couldn’t miss it.  I don’t think I’m a big whiner (someone other than me would have to tell you that for sure!) but I had to fight back tears. On my drive in, I just wanted to pull over and lie on the seat.  Every cell was screaming “STAY HOME!”  That’s when you know you are really sick. I got through the big meeting, and even contributed, and then I did most of my show with my head down on the console during music sweeps.

Anyway, I’m not telling you this to make myself sound like a hero.  But there really aren’t that many jobs where you absolutely have to work sick. Not only that but if you do arrange a fill-in (like I have done for today) until they are confirmed you’re still on “stand-by” to come in, no matter how you feel.  The new rule of thumb for workplaces is to stay home when you’re sick so you don’t infect everybody else.  Dave, our producer, cleaned everything I touched in his studio with Lysol wipes and I can’t blame him! 

I come from an era in radio where you don’t say “crap” even if you have a mouth full of it.  That doesn’t mean lying, it just means editing the truth! Who listening cares if I’m feeling ill? My guess is nobody.  Howard Stern would make it the topic of the day but as you may have noticed, I’m not Howard Stern, who, by the way, made Piers Morgan look like a frightened squirrel on the latter’s new CNN show (replacing Larry King Live) this week.  I fear for Morgan’s longevity as a host.  He hasn’t got “it”.  No charisma, no presence, no control. But I digress.

I did get the flu shot this season.  I was first in line.  Perhaps this bug would have been even worse without the shot or perhaps it was a useless waste, I’ll never know.  And at this point it doesn’t really matter as long as I’ve got Advil, tea and I don’t have to pretend to be happy on a microphone for a day or two.