The Phlegm Report

I am still a disgusting germ-bucket.

In case you forgot, because it's been so darn long, I still have this cold.  At least, I think it's the same cold, with a relapse.  Alternately, it could be a fresh cold which has taken over just as the dregs of the old cold were wearing off.  How can I even tell?  I'm not sure.

When you get a cold, does it follow a predictable sequence?  Mine always start with a sore throat, followed by sinus yuck, and finishing up with a nice, crunchy chest cough.  Is that just me, or is it the same for all y'all?

Evidence supporting the "new cold" hypothesis: My symptoms had dwindled to evening-time asthma coughing by four weeks into the old cold, and then I started out with a fresh sore throat last weekend.  The last couple of days have been sinus city.  Today is the first day in a while that I can breathe without feeling like I'm sucking every breath through one of these coffee stir sticks.

(This is something of an exaggeration.  It's not quite that bad.  Only almost.)

I'm hoping to skip the chesty phase this time around.  Because, OMG, I have coughed enough in the past month to last a lifetime.  My abs are ripped.  At this point I deserve to have a turtle-shell six-pack.  (I don't.)

Confession time: I went to game night last night even though I might have been carrying fresh cold germs.  I sincerely hope that I didn't make anyone else sick.  My only justification is that I desperately needed to have a fun evening, for my own mental health, which is not much of a justification at all.  If anyone gets sick from my germs I will feel suitably guilty.  Then again, none of us live in a bubble, and people can pass along viruses before they even start displaying symptoms, so we're all taking a necessary risk every time we go out and socialize, right?  Is that a better rationalization?  Maybe slightly...

I have plenty of tissues.  Ken went to Costco and bought a shrink-wrapped pack of 20 boxes a couple of months ago.  I recall seeing it come in the door and thinking "Overkill!  It's going to take us years to get through all that."  LOL nope.  I am making short work of box after box.  Fortunately, used tissues can go into the compost bin in Toronto, so I don't have to feel quite so bad about all the trees my nose is responsible for killing.

I went for a massage on Friday, and while I was face-down on the table my nose dripped non-stop.  I had to ask for a fresh tissue every few minutes.  My RMT offered to put the trash can under the face-hole so that I could "just let it drip".  Ew, gross.  No thanks.  I should have asked if any of her other clients have ever taken her up on that offer.  Or maybe I don't want to  know.

Anyway, I am worn out, cranky, and don't even remember what it feels like to be healthy, at this point.  I have a challenging work week coming up because one of my staff is going to be on vacation, and due to the recent cutbacks I am the only person who can handle her desk while she's away.  I'm not planning to work myself to death; her work is going to get behind, and she'll just have to catch up when she gets back.  

I can't think of a good closer for this post.  Just, everyone stay well and don't let anyone sneeze on you.