If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too (Dr Seuss)

Photo by Sergey Vinogradov on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

All good? Great.

Me? Somehow, I picked up a cold in the middle of summer. I've tested each day for covid and it's negative. So, a common garden variety old fashioned cold it is. A non-covid style virus in other words.

It has had all the hallmarks of an upper respiratory tract virus: sore throat for a couple of days, sneezes, runny nose (onto my second tissue box), headache and zero energy.

A classic seven dayer (sore throat started on Saturday so Thursday was day 7), it made me wonder where all that river of clear fluid comes from.

By the way, the medical term for a runny nose with thin, clear fluid is rhinorrhea.

According to Doctor Google - A runny nose happens due to an increase in the production of nasal mucus. While a runny nose can have many causes, it often occurs due to inflammation of the tissues inside your nose. This is known as rhinitis.

Why does this happen? Well, the virus attacked the tissues of my nose and throat. In response, my nose produced more mucus to help trap and wash viral particles away. This caused a persistent runny nose with clear fluid.

Two boxes of tissues later (the dry-me-up meds didn't seem to help much) and seven days later it's dried up.

Someone obviously passed the virus to me at school. The incubation period for the common cold is typically between 1 and 3 days. This is the time period between exposure to the virus and when you begin to notice symptoms, and I spent all of last week at school.

In this instance, my immune system didn't kick in for some reason.

One of the amazing aspects of the immune system is that it is compensatory, meaning that when one part is weak or non-functional, typically another part can step in. Think of it like a trip to the grocery store. If you need to go to the store, but your tire is flat, you may go by another method of transportation — another motor vehicle, a bicycle or walking. The substitute may or may not be as efficient, but it still allows you to complete your task.

That didn't happen this time though. The virus slipped past my defenses and whammo! 

Meh. Just one of those things I couldn't prepare for (there's no vaccine for the common cold), or control (I'm no bubble boy).

Love and, sniffle sniffle, peace - Wozza

Inch became a light year, it was pathetic (Aimee Mann)

Cold Cold Cold - the sequel.

Long version:

So here I am, about to end the seven day cycle of last Wednesday's mild sore throat to raging razor blade can't swallow can't sleep can't talk nothing seems to work hellish raw red full on pain throat. 

Then the nose starts running. Usually.

Except this time it joined forces with the death on legs sore throat which has refused to play ball and get itself replaced with a drunny dose.

All looked dire until SWMBO (a.k.a. Nurse Jacky) said she had some antibiotics 'in the cupboard' that I should use until I got to the docs. 

You should know that SWMBO's collection of medicines, potions, bandages and first aid kit is almost the match of my father's collection when he was alive. And he was a chemist!

Anyway, after  five days the antibiotics either worked or I've survived the life cycle of a cold. By the time I got to the docs on Monday the sore throat felt in retreat so I stocked up on my flight medications as well (another story for another time).

Short version: I've had man flu.

What have I been doing during this enforced rest, I hear you ask?

• Looking in despair at my Fitbit step count - verdict: pathetic!
• Reading (finished the rest of the twelve Trigon Empire volumes, London Under, Tina Fey's Bossypants, started Richard P Feynman's The Meaning Of It All, Bill Bryson's The Road To Little Dribbling).
• Drinking endless cups of tea (the heat seemed to work, a bit, for about ten minutes then I needed another one).
• T.V. - caught up on recorded stuff SWMBO doesn't like (I have to make the most of the sympathy card when it's played  - shows like Fargo, all things sport, but, drat - would be an international break in the Premier League wouldn't it! Instead an endless parade of international rugby coaches saying 'like hell' to the English job - yawn)

Back in the harness at the brick factory making widgets today.

Slight cough and sniffle - Wozza

Cold cold cold (Little Feat)

Head swimmy, muscles achy, nose runny, with razor blade throat, head achy dullness, heavy lidded eyes.

Yep - either a change in the seasons cold (mmm a chill) or Jade passed on something last weekend.

I've spent three days fighting it with Vitamin C max out, Berocca, and throat lozenges. Night and Day tablets have masked things so that I can make it through a school day.

Somehow I've managed to cope driving home in a near hallucinatory state. In bed early, to wake at 2am and lie awake for hours hating to swallow. It hurts maan.

Have any of the meds helped?

Nothing doing! I have a life cycle to get through say the bugs attacking my system, and you're gonna have to lump it sunshine.

Coincidentally, it's been freezing! We've actually had a fire going - it's been that cold with southerlies bringing rain, dark clouds and weather straight from Antarctica.

Misery guts right!

Sniff and cough - Wozza