Amy's Sick Day MI-5:

1. When was the last time you were sick? What was wrong?

I don't ever get REALLY sick. I seem to have been plagued with head colds this year. While they're frequent, they haven't really lasted too long. The last one I had was about two weekends ago. I took some Zicam, and I think that really helped in limiting the duration. Before that, I had the flu in December of 1999.

2. Have you ever been in the hospital? Why?

The only time I have spent the night in the hospital was because of childbirth. I have gone to the ER a couple of times. I had Mono when I was in my early 20s. In 5th grade, I had a broken epithysis. (I'm not sure how to spell it--it's cartilege in the ankle that turns to bone as you mature.) In 1987, I had a TB test, then fainted and ended up with a concussion. I went to the ER for that. And when I was in junior high or so, I got my grandmother's engagement ring stuck on my finger. My Dad had to take me to the ER to have it cut off. He actually did the cutting--he just needed the tool.

3. What is the one food that almost always makes you feel better when you are feeling ill?

Definitely chicken soup. I like the Lipton chicken noodle stuff (like cup-a-soup). I add extra macaroni to it. I love it, but I only seem to eat it when I'm sick. I also tend to crave tomato-based things, like spaghettios, pizza, etc. When I had mono, I wanted a McDonald's hamburger. I only ate about 1 1/2 bites, but it sure tasted good! My Mom used to always make me a dropped egg on toast, too. That always seemed to help. Mmmm. I'm not sick right now, but I'm thinking I'm going to make myself a dropped egg on toast!

4. When was the last time you had a headache?

I had a headache on Sunday. I usually have a headache the same week that Aunt Flo comes to visit. If I take 4 Advil as soon as I feel a headache going on, I can keep it from getting bad, especially if I can sleep for about 5 minutes. If I wait, though, there's no hope of getting rid of it until it runs its course. When I get a BAD headache, it hurts to even lay my head on a pillow, so I really try to poke the Advil to me as soon as I feel one coming. After Dad died, I had a headache for a solid 4 months. I don't think it ever left. Sometimes it would be less bad, but it always hurt to one degree or the other. It was always in the same spot: left side of my head, behind my ear. When I started exercising, the headaches left. Maybe they were stress headaches, or maybe my blood pressure was too high or something, but whatever the case, the exercise really seemed to help.

5. Do you have any alternative remedies you try when you are feeling under the weather?

I don't really think I do. Anything hot (like tea or chicken soup) tends to clear my head. I like to go to sleep when I have a headache. I'm not sure either of those remedies are necessarily "alternative", though.