Sick.

When I was 19 years old, I had my tonsils removed. It was for the best, since I had gotten strep throat so many times in my life that my tonsils were permanently swollen. I was excited to have them gone so I could live my life without ever having to deal with strep, sore throats or anything of that nature ever again.

The week I got them out was the most painful week of my entire life. I don't know if you have had your tonsils out, but if you haven't, let me just tell you what it's like. Well, on second thought, I won't. Because I don't want to scare anyone. But just know that it is incredibly painful. The pain doesn't go away for a good two weeks. Talking, eating, drinking, sleeping, breathing...it's all nigh unto impossible without searing pain. However, I survived, although I whined constantly.

Here I am, nearly 10 years later, experiencing the exact same pain. How, you ask? Simply put - the virus from hell. This is no ordinary cold virus. This is an evil, masterminding virus who clearly has one intention: my misery. It's a lovely marriage of bronchitis and laryngitis mixed with a little bit of sinus pain and deep coughing. Throw in some fatigue, a low fever, ear aches and a nose that won't stop running, and you've got the perfect recipe for one miserable human being.

I'm not happy at all.

You don't realize just how much you use your voice until it's gone. I depend on my voice to do my job. I also never realized just how often strangers talk to me on a daily basis. People are everywhere. I had people talk to me at the gas station, the store, the pharmacy, the parking lot, you name it, someone was talking to me. And all I could do is smile and nod like a perfect idiot.

How thankful I am to have a voice - to have the ability to speak. I can't imagine living like this forever. And when I'm healthy again, I will forever be thankful for the days that I live without sickness. I know it's all part of our mortal experience, and I can see why. You can't fully appreciate the good things without experiencing the bad.

The cherry on top is that Scottie is sick, too. Poor thing. But it is true that misery loves company - we've been able to spend a little more time together this week, which has been nice, even though we've both felt like death. How's that for a silver lining?