No one but artistandgirl replied to my questions on the flu medications -- she’d never used them either -- so I guess I’ll just have to close my eyes, pick one and try it out for myself.

On another medical note, I feel as though I’ve got a knife stuck in the side of my head right now...waiting for the Extra Strength Tylenol to kick in. Not a migraine this time...this ailment is a little more exotic -- a flaming (LITERALLY) case of TMJ. I’ve had ‘issues’ with my jaw in the past, but nothing to compare to this present darkness.

One of my horses accidentally decked me in the face with her head a few months ago and it’s been downhill ever since. It’s now to the point where I cannot bite at all and can chew only very carefully, and with great pain. On occasion, my jaw actually locks and when it finally ‘pops’ somewhat back in place, the pain is indescribable. When the condition finally became unbearable (I never seek medical attention until an ailment reaches this point) I went to my doctor, who is on leave, so I saw his fill-in who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about my jaw or anything else that ails me. She told me to go see my dentist. My dentist made me an appointment with a specialist. In the meantime, I plug on with this knife in the side of my head.

I recall some controversy a few years ago about whether or not TMJ was a real and valid ailment. -- just one more thing the stingy insurance companies don’t want to have to pay for. If you have any doubts about the validity of TMJ, just position your face very carefully in whopping distance of a horse head, spook the horse and allow the horse’s head to forcefully slam into the side of your own head. The knee jerk reaction of seeing stars will subside in just a moment. But over the following weeks, observe the utter deterioration of your jaw joint that took the brunt of the impact. Then, if you’re able to still speak at all, tell me "it isn’t REAL."