One good part about the swine flu, the doctor informed me, is that so far it is lasting only about half as long as the normal flu — three to five days. If I went home, drank plenty of liquids and rested, chances are I'd be good as new before the week was half over.

Sure enough, three days later I was starting to feel much better. But on the fourth day it seemed like I'd caught the flu all over again. I made my way back to the clinic.

My oxygen level was down. I was actually sicker than my previous visit. Chest X-rays showed that infection had made its way into my lungs. I was a prime candidate for full-blown pneumonia.

Immediately I was given a shot of antibiotics and a prescription for more antibiotics to counter the inflammation in the lungs. Three days later I started feeling like living again.

The doctor explained that in most cases the flu isn't the problem, it's what happens after the flu that's the problem. The vast majority of the more than 300 people who have died worldwide from the swine flu — officially the H1N1 virus — have died from complications brought on by the flu.

But thanks to alert doctors, competent clinics and disease-fighting medications, many, many more with complications don't die.

It won't make headlines around the world, but I am living proof of that.

Lee Benson's column runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com.