So I’m sitting on my couch with my guinea pig, watching the Dodgers start their series with the Cubs, and TBS’ tagline for their playoff coverage is “you can’t script October”.  Amen to that, I’m thinking; why just a week ago, although I was already sick, I thought I was recovering.  I thought I was heading to the College of American Pathologists' conference, enjoying a nice ride over the weekend, and then working normally this week, while eating and otherwise preparing for the Furnace Creek 508 next weekend.

Um, no.  Bzzzzzzt.

I was actually just about to get really sick, I just didn't know it.  I did attend the CAP conference (where I had an incredible "how did I get here moment", which I will share with you), but barely staggered through it, and upon my return Saturday I was toast.  I spent the weekend alternating between fever spikes as high as 103^o and impressive coughing fits.  Turns out I have a fungal lung infection called "valley fever", must have caught it while riding the double century in Napa, with an immune system lowered by a preceding week of stress and no sleep, not to mention the exertion of the ride itself.  I *finally* saw my doctor on Monday, who prescribed Levaquil (a strong antibiotic) and Promethazine (an antihistamine), along with Codeine, and I am on the mend.  Today I actually worked in my office, instead of in bed, and though I am weak and woozy my brain is slowly reengaging, after being pretty well disconnected for a few days.  I am definitely not riding the 508 next weekend; even if I felt up to it, my doctor and Shirley would not allow it, and both have spent significant amounts of time saying so.

So be it.

Meanwhile the background is equally unscriptable, at Aperio I have a couple of colleagues dealing with far more serious medical situations than mine (fXf), and our next release remains on track for beta despite a flurry of last minute bugs.  And of course the world financial markets can’t figure out what to do, congress are debating the nature of the infinite while Wall Street burns, and the Presidential election has descended into farce.  Unscriptable.

Yet I am feeling better, and the baseball playoffs have started!  How bad could it be?