I like soccer enough that every four years I try to watch the World Cup games on TV. This international tournament is going on right now.

I probably should have entered the lottery they hold for tickets, won, of course, and headed off to South Africa to watch the matches in person. It probably would have been cheaper than how I spent my summer vacation.

I came down with a severe case of the chills early in the morning June 9. During the day, my left leg ached. I took aspirin and didn't go to work that Wednesday morning, when we put the paper together for printing. News Editor Caroline Jennings and Advertising Manager Geri Florek took care of that. My wife, Mary Ann, drove me to the printer to pick up the paper, and we distributed it that day.

"Piece of cake," I thought. "I'll be well tomorrow."

The next day, my lower left leg was red. I went to the Cathlamet Family Health Clinic. "Cellulitis," said Dr. Del Gardner. He started me on two antibiotics, and things seemed to get better, but Sunday night, the infection rebounded. I checked into PeaceHealth St. John Hospital Monday morning. I started taking powerful antibiotics intravenously and slowly started to make progress.

Hospital life is slow, centered around treatments, blood tests, "vitals" every four hours, the daily visit of Dr. Varudu, and trying to find something new on the meal menu. The high point was that I could watch World Cup games on TV. All the other patients I saw were worse off than I was. The army of nurses and nurses aides took good care of us, and I finally got to come home Sunday, the seventh day.

During the week, the army of Eagle staffers took care of things. Reporter Stevan Morgain did his job and mine. Business Manager Betsy Nelson took care of delivery, and out came another outstanding issue (well, I'm biased) of The Eagle with no input from me. It's nice to know that can happen. Bias aside, it seems demonstrably true that I have the best staff around.

Now, back to work, but first a nap.