re: #69 J.D.

You know, I’ve really only heard about them for children, other than when they give you a tetanus shot after a puncture wound. I’ve heard mumps are pretty bad when you’re grown. True?

Dreadful. I had a miserable fever, and it wouldn’t break. I was so weak at the end of the fifth day that I had to crawl to the bathroom. And it took forever to recover. The swelling under my jaw was very painful, as well.

Scarlet fever was worse (I had that in fifth grade, and missed being the soloist for Easter Morning service because of it, so I was bummed). But not by much.

And, of course, I had someone to take care of me when I had scarlet fever. Getting sick with mumps when you’re an adult and live alone except for a dog and a cat just sucks.