Thursday 13: I Have a Cold

I haven’t had a real cold in almost two years. I have asthma and sinus troubles so even a mild cold can go bad very quickly for me. This started on Monday afternoon and it has already escalated past the usual misery. Here are 13 things I’m dealing with right now:

1. Headache. Enough said, right?

2. Tiredness. We’re on overtime at work and I really want the money. Yesterday I worked from 6:30am to 5:23 pm. Considering how lousy I feel right now, that may have been a mistake.  I may have to kiss any overtime on the check good-bye cuz if I feel like this tomorrow I’m staying home.

3. Plugged nose. Either it’s swollen shut on the inside or it’s running like a faucet.

4. Raw skin between my nose and upper lip from constantly blowing. The last time this happened to me I was 8 years old. I’d forgotten how unpleasant it is.

5. Coughing. Deep, barking coughs that hurt both my chest and my head.

6. Can’t sleep. See #3 and #5, which results in #2.

7. Aches. My arms feel like over-ripe tomatoes. You know, where the only thing holding them together is the skin, and if you poke it, the tomato might burst and the insides will ooze all over.  Even my finger joints hurt.

8. Burning in my chest. Every breath that is even slightly deep hurts and results in a coughing fit.

9. Sneezing. This isn’t unusual for me. I sneeze all the time anyway because of my allergy to dust.

10. Watery eyes. See #9 above.

11. Piles of wadded up kleenex overflowing every wastebasket in my vicinity.

12. Temperature. It’s a little over 100 F right now.

13. Uncertain appetite. One minute I’m starving, the next nothing appeals to me.

On Monday afternoon, this might have been a summer cold. I strongly suspect we’ve raced right past that. I think it’s the flu. This may push the goal for Eddie’s Prize further out. Gosh darn it.