For the past three weeks I have been dealing with a condition called costochondritis, or inflammation of the intercostal muscles due to coughing and/or other trauma. Apparently it is "A Thing That Can Happen When You Have A Cold," according to my doctor. The cold that caused it is gone, but the sharp chest pain is still there. I can't breathe too deeply or cough too much or lay on my stomach or lift anything over ten pounds or I might crack a rib (or at the very least prolong the healing process). I'm supposed to take it easy, and it will "get better when it gets better."

I can't hug anybody when I'm like this. Which is the worst because I could REALLY use a hug. But I can't really wrap my arms around anything effectively, and chest-and-stomach-area-squeezing is a big NO right now. I'm basically keeping everyone I know at an arm's length away, Ziggy included. This is pretty much as close as we've been able to be all month.