It turns out that I’m not so good at pretending I’m not sick. For most of last week, coworkers and students kept saying things like, “God, you look awful.” I made it through a poetry reading Wednesday night by taking drugs and eating really spicy foods to open up my sinuses. Even so, I fooled no one. Afterwards people said things like, “Nice poems. Go home and get some sleep.” By Thursday, the cold had moved from my head into my chest, resulting in the deep cough that makes even strangers say to me, “Are you okay?”
So on Friday, I gave in and declared myself to be sick. I’ve been drifting about the house in sweatpants and a t-shirt, clutching a cup of hot tea, a cross between Miss Havisham and the Ghost of Christmas Past. I can’t sleep because the cough starts up every time I lie down. So instead I’ve been watching videos on my laptop – reruns of the Big Bang Theory or Northern Exposure. I’ve pulled out my comfort books to reread them, including the whole Betsy-Tacy series that I’ve loved since I was a kid and all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. “At least I’m not stuck in a prairie blizzard in a claim shanty,” I tell myself. And that makes me feel better.
I missed today’s holiday piano recital. Since I get to hear Shaggy Hair Boy and With-a-Why play the piano every single day – at my house, someone’s always playing — it didn’t make sense for me to go spread my cold to all the other families at the piano studio. I’ve had to send the neighbor kids home when they’ve knocked on the door: they hate me being sick.
But being officially sick does have its advantages. My husband has been waiting on me hand and foot, bringing me food, cough drops, and ginger ale. He’s good at giving me attention when I’m feeling miserable. It’s been nice to do nothing but read for long stretches of time, a treat to just close the door to my office and ignore all the stuff that I should be doing. It hasn’t all been bad. But still. My ribs hurt from coughing. I can’t really breathe. I’m very ready to be done with this cold and get back to life again.
14 comments:
Sounds liek what we had about a month ago. The cough lingers. Feel better soon!! Start downing that Vitamin C!!
Eep! I hope you feel better FAST!
Sending you warm thoughts and hot tea with lemon and brandy.
Oh, I hope you get better soon, but I do know that these coughs are just awful. I couldn't sleep for four days in a row when I got the flu a while back (after Kelvin had it -- it was probably the H1N1).
I am literally feeling your pain, as I too have fallen ill to the creeping crud. Alas, I still have tons of grading to do and D. is sick himself. But I am with you on the Miss Havisham-Ghost thing. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
Hang in there.
Get better! I'm just glad you still feel like blogging.
Hot water, Lemon, Honey and grated ginger.. great for the blasted cough... also, these Lozenges at a Health food store called "Olbas". There are amazing. They clear everything. I slept with one in the roof of my mouth,and it was the first relief I had from the cough in days.
OOOHHH, the Betsy-Tacy series and Laura Ingalls Wilder. Those too are comfort books for me, since I grew up on them, close to their setting. I can't wait to introduce Minnow to them. Have you read Caddie Woodlawn and Magical Melons? If not, you should. You'd love Caddie.
And I do hope you feel better soon. Lingering chest coughs are pretty darn miserable.
Hang in there. Glad your husband is taking good care of you. Hope you get more rest and kick that cold out the door.
Hope you recover quickly!
Great TV choices, though....
hope you're feeling better!
Feel better, Jo(e).
Have you been to the doctor? Sounds like bronchitis...might be bacterial. Feel better, jo(e)!
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