On being sick

On day 4 of our holiday vacation, the floodgates that are in nose broke open and haven't closed yet. Probable cause: napping in a super air-conditioned room without blankets. For the next few days, my nose was runny and my throat was phlegmy. I didn't make it to midnight on the 31st, but I had the chills/sweats/chills combo throughout the night, including some nausea - don't think I've ever thrown up due to nose/throat fluids. (TMI?). I didn't really mind as I was having too much fun with everyone back home. Who has time to be sick when there's so much to do, family to hang out with, and babies to play with. My voice was so hoarse, but I thought that was kinda cool - I wasn't singing smelly cat, but I did think of recording my voicemails so I wouldn't be so squeaky. And regardless of the napkins and paper-towels I used, my nose was not dry or stinging.

Unfortunately, the sickness bliss, if there is such a thing, ended Monday when we flew back. Two flights and pluggy ears, not a good combo. I thought I could sleep it off and get back to work the next morning. But the ear didn't clear up and I ended up at the walk-in clinic where the doctor said my ear was red and full of fluid. I wish I could have done what she joked about and stayed at home a few more days. Now I'm on a 10-day course of super antibiotics and nasal spray. The -9*C weather and dry air are not helping. Stinging nose stinks.

Lessons learned: Warm weather beats sickness. Try not to fly when sick. Need to get a humidifier. And, most important, family always makes everything better.