"I don't know how I contracted the disease. I hadn't been on a plane or in a hot tub, nor could I remember being anywhere near where I would have inhaled contaminated water droplets, the vector by which the bacteria spread. I felt lethargic and ran a fever. A test confirmed that I was sick with what was then a newly discovered form of pneumonia. My doctor immediately prescribed medication for me, as the disease, if untreated, can be fatal."
"Soon after taking the new antibiotic, I began to feel better, but it did nothing to lift my mood. My wife, Lyn, who is a source of good humor, tried everything she could to lift my spirits-jokes, comic movies, wisecracks. Pep talks didn't work, either. Words of encouragement fell on deaf ears. I was depressed in a way I had never experienced before."
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City in summer 2025 caused at least six deaths and more than 100 cases. A personal infection produced fever, lethargy, and a positive test for a newly identified form of pneumonia. Antibiotic treatment improved physical symptoms but failed to lift mood. Attempts by the spouse to cheer up had no effect. After the doctor switched antibiotics due to a possible medication-induced depression, mood quickly returned to normal. The experience revealed limits of willpower and the influence of forces beyond individual control. Accountability for harmful actions must coexist with mercy for human vulnerability.
Read at Psychology Today
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