There are very few good things that come from being sick, but the way I see it, being sick is one of the most humbling experiences.

Three days ago I woke up with a slightly sore throat. Thinking that it must have been from snoring or breathing in and out of my mouth all night, I continued my day.

As an hour passed by, my sickness grew.

I soon felt the bitter chills and unsettling aches of the flu.

Half joking and half concerned, I began telling co-workers that with my constant strand of bad luck this must be the swine flu.

As the chuckles subsided, we turned to the Internet for the answers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of the swine flu are nearly the same as the seasonal flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Seven of the symptoms I was now suffering from.

Pushing the sickness aside the best I could, I continued to work at the tasks at hand for the day.

Straight from the newsroom, I went to Walgreens to pick up some much needed Nyquil.

After taking one dose around 9 p.m., I was out for about two hours. I awoke in a sweat-drenched bed with an aching body and a loopy head wondering where I was and what time it was.

In my confusion, I took another two pills and went back to sleep for another hour. This continued for the entire night and into the morning. Every hour I awoke in more agony than the previous hour. I began to wish for the sickness to subside by any means necessary.

The sickness consumed me. It became my only train of thought. I would give anything for some relief.

All work worries, money problems, and other constant stresses went far from focus. It was all about being in the moment, sick.

I knew work would come the following day and since I was just hired, it seemed wrong to call off so early.

Either pride or ignorance kept me from going to the doctor, but I figured I could just wait it out.

I continued to wish and pray saying, “I would be perfectly fine with life if the sickness all went away.”

I took one dose of Nyquil the next night and went back to sleep. I awoke twice in the night with more sweat covering my bed that I was aware could come out of a human body.

I awoke in the morning with a slightly sore throat.

Now I’m back to my normal stresses, but I will keep my promise. As long as I am in good health, I really can’t complain.

Brad York is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.