Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Sick

Bleck.

I'm sick. It's not an awful kind of sick, but sick nonetheless. It's congestion, low-grade fever, painful cough, hot lungs, bleck.

And I have to go to work. I canceled class on Monday, which was great, but students are doing presentations this week, and we just can't get behind. So no more sick days.

As a result, I coughed my way through my second class (although I managed not to cough too much during the actual presentations--just when I tried to talk after them). I also coughed my way through office hours, apologizing for how gross I was, stepping out to cough in the hallway from time to time, and giving my students a farewell squirt of hand sanitizer as they left.

Typically, I avoid cold meds. I tend to think it's best to let my body take its natural, unaltered course--do what it needs to do. But, this week, I need to do what I need to do, so I decided to medicate. But, first, I tried a hot toddy so that I might sleep well*. It was soothing, but two hours later I woke up with a headache, and I still couldn't breathe. So, I pulled out the big gun: Sudafed. I took one--despite my fear that it might be powerful enough to kill me--and within about 20 minutes, my sinuses cleared, I had some productive coughing and blowing, and I slept--with my nose tilted towards the window so I could catch the stream of cool mist blowing in from the marine layer outside.

Really, I'm not sure why meth dealers actually make meth out of Sudafed. The stuff is miraculous in its original form. I'm looking forward to my next dose tonight, which I'll probably take about half way through Parenthood.

Hope you are all healthy and well during this last push towards summer.

*Sunday night was very fitful and included those weird, hallucination-type dreams which involve a lot of waking and confusion about whether one is asleep, awake, or finally going mad. In one dream/hallucination, I was stranded at a Saudi Arabian airport, and then, when I was able to fly out (on a plane that did weird tricks and dives), realized that my car was still at that airport and that I'd have to go back to get it. When I went back, someone tried to kidnap me for trafficking purposes.

6 comments:

Ink said...

Am so glad you're feeling better! Hugs!!!!!

(I'm sick too and can't take Sudafed. Harumph. My poor throat feels so raw, like someone scraped it with a veggie peeler.)

TKW said...

I'm sorry you are sick! You need to try a hot toddy of spiked nighttime TheraFlu someday. You will crash so hard that you definitely will not remember your dreams. :)

This Ro(a)mantic Life said...

Oh, GEW! I'm so sorry you're up against those presentations. As if the cold wasn't enough. Glad the Sudafed has been helpful. During allergy season, when my nose was a constant mess, I did find (if you want something less medicine-y once you're on the full mend) that saline spray helps clear the sinuses.

Word verification is "plablepo." Sounds like what you call a placebo when you want the real drugs ...

loveskidlit said...

Poor thing! There's just nothing like being sick, and realizing you *have* to go to work, regardless. I feel very noble at those times, but still... sick. Get better!

Good Enough Woman said...

Ink, for the sore throat, I love Ricola.

TKW, I thought about your recipe! But I only had the non-drowsy Theraflu in the house . . .

CT, You are so nice to offer your sympathies! I'm sorry I have paid a proper visit to your place lately. But I have still be stopping by . . .

LKL, Yes, it's hard. But at least I don't have to go to a construction job or serve as a soldier in Afghanistan while sick! Or at all, for that matter.

Gaga said...

I'm glad to hear you are better. Your dream sounds like some of Papa's dreams. Wonder what he's been taking?