How I love thee, let me count the ways...

The background to this story started about 2 weeks ago on the Metro in DC. Joel was looking for chapstick and I offered him mine, if it wasn't gross to him. Then, he makes the comment that he doesn't want to touch it if I have ever had a cold sore/fever blister. This prompted a rather interesting discussion. Since we (Whatup, Joel, and I) were all science nerds back in college, the conversation was probably a little more detailed than the other passengers wanted to hear. Anyways, so I say to Joel that I haven't had one in probably 5 years. This brings me to last night. Wouldn't you know that around 9pm, I felt one coming! In five years, cold sore free and the first mention and declaration of its absence in my life and voila! So, the only thing I had at my house was the beloved Carmex. This morning I began applying almost every hour. By the morning it had puffed up to a decent size but lo and behold by the afternoon it was gone! I mean, it isn't completely gone but you wouldn't even notice it unless I told you! You see, sometimes the cheap standby works just fine or dare I say, miraculously...