So one of my teacher friends would always tell the kids at recess to not lay on the cold (I use that term VERY loosely here!) ground because they would get pleurisy. Now, she is full of southern expressions and stories, and I had never heard of pleurisy...so I chalked it up to another southern saying that I would never understand since I am northern-born and raised...but not so....

The last week of CIU and teaching I started coughing pretty badly and then started getting a really sharp pain in my side...near the lung/rib area. So my wonderful roomie took me to the doctor where we sat and waited for 5 hours...and when the doc finally came in she said, "Well, you must be in a lot of pain to wait for this long..." I've never heard more accurrate words. So a long story short...I missed 2 days of work because not only do I have walking pneumonia...but also pleurisy. So its not a southern expression...its all too real. :) Apparently the short and understandable meaning of pleurisy is an inflamation of the lung. Yeah, can we all say it together, "Ouch!" But I guess I am in good company...some really famous people have died of this...such as Constantine, Ben Franklin, Francis Scott Key...among many others. But thankfully there has not been a death from it in a very long time...so no frets there. :)

Anyhow...in other news...CIU is done for a few weeks and my teaching career as it has been is now over as well. So I am sitting at the airport, my flight both here and in Chicago delayed...but ever so thankful for free wi-fi here in Cola. :) The song "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was just playing...how appropriate...now, Lord willing, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" will also come true. :)