Monday, December 13, 2010

A Night in the Life of a Person with a Cold


I'm a Spartan.  I drink orange juice. I eat broccoli.  I work out at the gym and wipe down the machines.  

I'm sniffling just a little but I know it's NOTHING.   
12 o'clock.  The witching hour.  It's 3 degrees. At night the furnace kicks on every three hours or so.  I'm dressed like a commando on a winter campout.  I've got the flannel pajamas with the dancing latte mug pattern, two turtlenecks,  a hooded sweatshirt, and thick socks.  I'm shivering and sniffling.

1 a.m. I wake up.  I sneeze, dash through the freezing house to take a Tylenol, and put on two more turtlenecks.  
2 a.m.  I throw a sleeping bag on top of the three quilts and two blankets and open a Georgette Heyer book.  
2:30  a.m.  Georgette Heyer briefly puts me to sleep.

3 a.m.  I wake up and am seriously shivering.  I can't get warm.  I put my sweatshirt hood up and try to remember the name of the Georgette Heyer book I'm reading.
5 a.m.  Why am I awake?  Why am I shivering?  Should I put on my coat?

6 a.m.  The alarm goes off.  I sneeze.

7 a.m.  I'm not sick.  We need to buy a blanket.  

7:30 a.m.  All right, I have a cold. But I'm sweating and freezing at the same time.  I drink four glasses of orange juice and look for something stronger than Tylenol.  

I'm sure a lot of you have the same thing and if you know a cure please let me know.  

3 comments:

  1. Interpolations11:23 AM

    1. Ginger tea, made either with fresh grated ginger or with ginger powder. I sometimes add a little tumeric, too. Very healthy, very warm.

    2. Vitamin D supplement, say, 1,000 IUs. This will help you prevent your next cold/flu.

    3. Leaves of Grass, there's simply no better way to restore oneself to health than reading the all-embracing Walt.

    Cheers,
    K

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  2. P.S. I rather enjoyed your spartan story.

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  3. Kevin, I'm cured. I did drink some tea with a tiny bit of ginger in it. What a good idea!

    I'm trying to get all my Vitamin D from the sun, but there is no sun today.

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