A week ago Friday I got a feeling.  A familiar feeling.  There was no mistaking this feeling.  I was getting sick.  Sure enough, when I awoke the next morning I felt as though I had been hit by a truck.  I immediately began a regimen of water, soup, and NyQuil.

Between Saturday morning and Tuesday evening I had gone through 3.5 gallons of water, and many cans of soup.  At this point I was tired of both, and eager to eat drink almost anything else, but had no appetite to do anything about it.

I returned to work Wednesday, continuing to drink water and down NyQuil, while blowing my nose and enduring an endless string of coughing fits.  This continued through Friday.  Friday in secular America is the modern-day Holy Grail.  Songs have been written about it, and numerous movies have been made.  And yet this was one Friday to which I was not looking forward.  You see, my company was in the process of changing email platforms.  Moving from Outlook to Google mail.  I’m sure there’s a very good reason for this move.  What that reason is escapes me.  But since the decision isn’t mine, the best I can do is live with it, and get used to the fact that I will have many phone calls to the support center in my future since this wonderful new system refuses to send my work emails to my mobile phone like the previous system did.  Progress: it’s a beautiful thing.  Le sigh…

In other words, I went home with a HUGE headache.  A headache that was already brewing due to illness, and was exasperated by stress and annoyance with support technicians who refuse to listen.  By the time I got home that night, I had the same feeling as the previous Friday.  I could tell my flu was trying come back.  When I reached my apartment, I took more NyQuil and went straight to bed in an effort to head it off at the pass.

Saturday morning came with the realization that my efforts failed.  My nose was more stuffed than ever, my cough was still holding court, and I ached from head to toe.  It was time to call for backup.  I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and got dressed in preparation to go to immediate care to see a doctor and get a prescription.  However, as I gathered my ID and health benefits cards, I noticed the going rate for an ER visit: $150.  Nah, that ain’t happenin’.

Time for Plan B.

Instead, I went to the store.  Stocked up on NyQuil, Tylenol, and tissue.  I also got juice and ingredients to make my own soup.  If I was going to have to endure more of this liquid diet, it was going to be on my terms.  No more water, juice.  I need something with flavor, thank you very much.  No more canned soup.  With all due respect to the fine folks at Campbell, I’ve had enough of canned soup for a good long time.

I proceeded to make what I think was a mighty fine pot of soup.  I’m going to include the “recipe” for my soup here, but you’ll note the lack of measurements.  It’s not in an effort to keep anything secret.  It’s simply due to the fact that I didn’t measure anything, it was all by feel.

Enrique’s Chicken Soup:

• Chicken stock
• Grilled chicken
• Chopped portabella mushrooms
• Chopped celery
• Chopped white onion
• Basil
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Salt
• Black pepper

It was quite tasty.  I had it for brunch and lunch, with a little NyQuil for dessert.  The best part was I had chicken stock left over, so I decided to make gumbo for dinner.  It turned out to be the best ever batch of gumbo I’ve ever made.  Period.  Here’s what I used…

Enrique’s Gumbo:

• Chicken stock
• Grilled chicken
• Andouille sausage
• Shrimp
• Okra
• Gumbo fillet
• Chopped portabella mushrooms
• Chopped celery
• Chopped white onion
• Basil
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Salt
• Black pepper

As I type this it is Sunday evening, and I’m still sick.  When you’re sick you’re supposed to have someone else take care of you and make you soup.  But since I live alone, I get to do it for myself.  I’m glad I did such a bang up job of it today.  I may still be coughing like a chain-smoking coal miner, but I’m going to bed with a happy tummy.

And I have leftovers.  🙂