Death Colds and the Remedy

I am sick, friends. My throat is sore, my voice occasionally meanders off, my ears feel like they might pop–the works. Just a cold, of course, which…why is that something people say? “Just” a cold? Sure, it probably won’t kill you, but you can throw medicine at it until the cows come home and it’ll do jacksquat and you just have to sit in your misery.

I can’t really take any medicine right now anyway. Just the occasional cough drop (read: fancy candy) and nose spray.

Hooray, nose sprays.

So, where’s the relief?

Well, in my case, it’s distraction. Since I can’t take any useful medicine, my choices are wallow or forget. And the best way of forgetting tends to be to be absorbed in something thought-provoking. Like writing.

Hooray, writing!

Of course, the issue then becomes chasing everybody else off long enough to get engrossed in something, which always seems harder than it should be. And it only works while I’m actively working as well. So once I stop and move on to, say, laundry, all benefits are lost, and I realize my ear has stuffed up AGAIN and my throat is all scratchy.

Actually, maybe one could argue that this is a bad plan, because maybe I should be focusing more on hydrating and napping over outlining and dialogue.

Hooray, napping?

Oh well. I cherish my engrossment, even if it’s worse for me in the end.

Speaking of which, I should probably go make some tea…

Suggestions? My medication choices really are very limited at the moment, and herbal remedies also pose potential issues. Steam doesn’t help my ear congestion, and–I’m going to stop right there. Tea, right.

Tea.