Perhaps some people have noticed, or perhaps some people have become victims themselves, but the flu is here. How gauche of it to show up so early! Usually this is an affliction of middle to late winter, when the weather is miserable, your body gets to be as well. That’s the way of the season.

Yet, here it is. Even the CDC recommends getting your yearly inoculation by the end of November, too late for some. For some, the flu will hit before time was made within our busy schedules to get to the doctor. It is easy to push off until next week, or the week after, it’s not THAT pressing, right? Then, the worst thing of all, you’re sick.

Being sick as an adult is infinitely worse than being sick as a child. When you’re a child, you have, what seems to be, an army of people to take care of you. Everyone is waiting on you to make sure you are in the utmost comfort throughout your days of cruel, painful, chilly flu. Your doctor’s appointment is made for you, you’re taken there, and your prescriptions acquired, all without you having to do a thing. If you want soup, soup appears. If you want a ginger ale, ginger ale is there. You have pillows and blankets brought to you, even placed upon you. Maybe, you even had your head lovingly caressed as you fell asleep.

Then you grew up.

Now, you’re out on your own. You’re living a strong, independent life in the fast lane of a major metropolitan area. Nothing is going to stop you. Except maybe, the flu. You’ll fight it, you’ll think that you will still be able to go to work. But then the body aches and chills will leave you horizontal on your couch. Now, if you want soup, if you want a pillow or a blanket, you are getting it yourself. You must drag yourself off whatever surface you have fallen upon to retrieve your desired comfort.

Staying home sick is less novel now. Sure, daytime television and the Price is Right can still be enjoyed even in adulthood, but you’re also now having to think about all the work you’re missing. All the emails you’ll have to send. But those thoughts will probably then be superseded by your silly feverish thoughts as you drift off into another nap.

But, what is truly difficult as an ill adult, particularly one in an urban environment, is finding and getting to the doctor. What is normally a short, pleasant walk can now feel like miles of treacherous road ahead of you. You’ve made your own doctor’s appointment, but now you have to get there. The subway seems so out of the question, the stairs alone cannot be conquered.

These are the days, no matter who you are, that you just say “Screw it, I’m getting a car.” It happens to us all. It is the path with the least physical movement. You push some buttons on your phone, and low and behold, a car is outside waiting to take you to your much needed time with a physician. It will never be as good as those childhood days of being taken care of by someone else, but Carmel is here to at least make your sick day easier.