Oddly enough, though, this bout of illness was slightly different. Thankfully, I didn't have the depressive thoughts. I think nine months of those would have been a torment, even though I would know where they're coming from. No, this time the mild depression arising from my illness resulted in apathy. I couldn't seem to get the smallest things done, like putting clean linens away. Some of them sat in hall literally for months.

In some ways, it was hard to distinguish this from the fatigue that was part of the sinus infections, but there was a difference. When I'm sick, I have the desire to get things done, but not the energy. When I'm depressed, the will and mental energy is gone. A couple of weekends after the end of my last sinus infection, I was a whirlwind of activity. Within a day, I had finished all the little tasks that had sat undone for months. The only limit to my productivity was imposed on me by my Multiple Sclerosis.

If you're on antidepressants, and they're moderately successful or better, this is something to watch out for. If you go through a short illness, your depression may temporarily come back. If even a few days is too much, you might want to talk to your psychiatrist and see if he or she has any suggestions. If this hangover happens to you a few days after you recover, as is sometimes the case with me, you might want to try some exercise, which temporarily boosts your mood. No matter how you decide to handle it, remember that it will pass.