But Would You Be Dead by Now, Too?

I love my pregnant friend Lula. She sees it just like I do. Here's our most recent e-mail exchange:

Me: i've been super sick, but am back at work today, feeling much better post-antibiotics. i realize i would be dead by now if i'd lived in some earlier century pre-their discovery...

Lula: don't you love that realization?? I am masochistic and have been reading about the history of births and, yeah, if I was knocked up in a different century I would be drafting my will and saying my goodbyes right about now. of course at 31 I would probably have been pregnant like six times already and most likely dead from disease....

Me: i was thinking about it yesterday--i was debating whether i'd be one of those weird old people who managed to survive various plagues, all hardy and shit. then i thought, nah, i'd definitely be the first one out when the common cold came 'round when i was a child. oh well. there i went.