Germ Free, 485 days and counting

I haven't had a cold since November 1997. That's one year and 4 months of cough, sore throat, nasal congestion free days! Holy rhinitis! Do you know that colds used to be the bane of my existence, my greatest inconvenience, my most frequent sickness? And somehow, I have warded off even the slightest colds for a year and 4 months. I haven't taken or even bought cold medication for all that time.

The cold I caught in August 2007 was a real doozy, though. I took one trip to Britain, and by the time I returned home, I had laryngitis, impacted sinuses, and a wretched cough. With a recital planned that October, I sung through all the gunk, thinking some over-the-counter meds with a sprinkling of denial would make it go away. It didn't, and a week before my recital, I had to postpone. I could not shake my cough, and nothing worked. Finally, my mother in law, all the way from Poland, recommended I try marshmallow root, an herb (or root, rather) that has been used since, allegedly, Ancient Egypt for coughs and throat irritation. Folks, she was not joking about this stuff. I was completely cured within 10 days! You can buy marshmallow root at a health food store - possibly one more hardcore than Whole Foods - and you just boil it for tea. It works, like a Mo Fo. I don't know if taking this magical marshmallow is the reason I haven't been afflicted with colds since, but I do find it a rather interesting coincidence.

I don't really have a good reason for making this post, other than to thank my lucky, lucky stars for my good health. Of course, now that I've posted it, I'll probably come down with a cold. Better stock up on the marsh' and go get some sleep!