Good news: the decongestant is working.

Bad news: I feel worse than before I started taking it.

I've had that vague off sensation for two or three days. Not a sore throat. Not a fever. And I really didn't feel all that congested, but when I went to the doctor this morning, he said that I was. A lot. So he phoned in an Rx, and I went back to work by way of Bueno for a bean burrito and CVS for some Mucinex and a third type of antihistamine. I took an Allerclear last night, thinking that maybe the Zyrtac was becoming less effective.

Doc (mine was out, so I saw one of her male compatriots) says that my instincts were good, but that for maximum effectiveness, since I take an antihistamine every day, I should take one for a month, take another for the next month, and take the third one the month after that. Minimal chance of any of them becoming ineffective.

Scathingly brilliant, and I had no idea you could do that, but now I know.

I managed to be reasonably effective at work today, including filing a past-due answer in JP court via fax. I took my lunch at 3:20, nuked the chicken and rice I'd brought from home, and played Sudoku, because I didn't have enough oomph to knit.

On the way home tonight, I picked up another half gallon of OJ and a tube of pork sausage. (If I'm well enough to leave the house tomorrow, I'll get some arborio rice to make risotto. Heaven knows that I have enough chicken stock.) Then to Panda Express for some orange chicken. (I gave Middlest half of my brown rice.) Then to CVS, where the drive-through was not functioning, so I had to go inside to pick up my Rx. Then, finally, home. Middlest put stuff in the fridge for me while I sprinted for the loo.

We are almost out of Q-tips. I am not up for a Costco run. At this point, prepping for a colonoscopy sounds more appealing than going to Costco, and I love going to Costco. My give-a-damn is on life support.

I know this because I am missing the holiday party at the new yarn shop, and all I want to do is take my meds, nuke my deer corn foot warmer (which I found skulking between the mattress and the bed frame last night), and pass out.

The back of my mouth has that horrible metallic feel/taste that comes with sinus trouble.

I will weep bitterly if I have to miss the Christmas program on Sunday, or dinner with the family after church. Because Middlest and Fourthborn would also have to miss out, since neither of them drives.

Speaking of which, Middlest and I got one another's fortune cookies tonight. Mine said, "Following inner promptings brings quiet accomplishment." Duh. I've known that since joining the Church 41 years ago. Middlest's said something like, "You belong in the driver's seat." Metaphorically it's true, but my kid has too many physical and mental obstacles to feeling comfortable behind the wheel of a car. Middlest and Fourthborn both feel that the world is a safer place because neither of them has license to drive.

OK, y'all, I'm outta here. Be good, and remember Whose you are.