I think I'm coming down with something

I've managed to stay well this entire winter, but this morning I woke up with a fever blister.

Granted, being sick isn't the only thing that brings on these annoying blisters, which is exactly why I don't call them "cold sores." They can also pop up when I don't get enough sleep, during times of stress, after being exposed to the sun, and upon experiencing any sort of trauma to the lip area. But since (a) I've been sleeping better lately (thanks, in part, to my braids), (b) we're in the dead of winter, and (c) no one has punched me in the mouth recently, I can only assume one thing: My streak of good health must be coming to an end.

It's really quite amazing how just one little fever blister can make you feel so completely wiped out. Thank goodness for Abreva, which usually clears up my blisters within a couple of days. Before this miracle cream came along, I had to rely on Famvir, a prescription pill for genital herpes (as you can imagine, it was a little embarrassing to have to explain to people that I wasn't taking it for that reason). Before I had Famvir, though, the blisters (and the scabs they left in their wake) would just run rampant on my lips and the surrounding skin—not pretty! So I guess things aren't as bad as they could be.

Mr. G might disagree, though: Because fever blisters are so contagious, I must withhold all smooches until my lips are healed. Sad!