Tonight, I figured I would try to be social despite feeling cold and miserable being back and see my friend for dinner. We weren’t even out that long, but I could feel my ribs on the left side starting to hurt every time I coughed or laughed. Since the end of December, only the right side of my ribs ever acted up and needed to be iced, and I thought that was all I would have to deal with in terms of bruising. Yet somehow tonight, I realized I was wrong and would also need to deal with bruising on the right side, as well. It’s frustrating how these things creep up on you.

I’m coughing and wiping my nose with tissues at work, which I am sure is making my colleagues who sit around me feel even more thrilled that I am back. I think I will need to stay home and keep myself away from others for a while, if not just to prevent myself from speaking which causes coughing, but from laughing and also getting everyone scared that I might give them something contagious.