Dear Human Beings,

I hope all is WELL with you. If it isn’t you must be ill. That is exactly why I am writing you today. How do you handle an illness? Gracefully or disgraceful? Sadly few of us know how to properly convalesce. Let’s get it straight. I am not talking about life threatening illness or chronic conditions. What I am thinking right now are pesky things like colds, flu, strep throat, bronchitis, stomach bug, and even pink eye. Basically I am thinking of anything that is contagious and that I could succumb to. I don’t know how many times in my life of have been irked, grossed out, and violated by sick people that think it is acceptable to be in my presence and be sick. It is so unnecessary. God invented sick days and antibiotics for a reason. God loves all of us. He wants the sick to stay home and not contaminate those of us that are healthy with their cooties.

This topic stirs such passion in me because I am a hypochondriac. So there is no confusion the definition of hypochondrias is: morbid concern about one’s health especially when accompanied by delusions of physical disease. I know this sounds very serious. And it is. Why would a hypochondriac have a run of the mill condition?  Theoretically society would be healthier if more people were afflicted with this ailment. However on the contrary I am seeing an alarming number of hyperchondiacs. Now mind you this is a condition that I have uncovered on my own with no research so I will have to define it for you. A hyperchondriac is someone with a morbid disregard about one’s health especially when accompanied by actual physical disease. Yes. Yes. Yes. Now that I have put it in words it is so clear. Everyone knows multiple people with this condition. Unfortunately it is very hard to treat. Mainly because any illness is hard to treat if it is not even acknowledged. And to complicate matters hyperchondriacs are actually proud of the ”fact”(delusion)that they have no ailments.

I am hoping that this letter will provoke your thoughts and tempt you to take a sick day now and then. As a hypochondriac myself, I can and will say more on properly convalescing. Maybe we can explore this topic further at some point. Until then stay well.

Irreverently,

Marjorie