I was afraid it would come to this. I fought the good fight all week with what sleep I could get and zinc supplements, but the cold has won (to show the state of my brain, I almost typed “one” for “won”). Since my goal is to make a post every day, I will subject you all to the history of my illness and hope it comes out as amusing as it did in my head a few minutes ago.
My cold started last Sunday, the day I heroically ran up the hill to Herkimer County Community College. I didn’t recognize it at the time, though, because it took the form of a very stiff neck. After I had written my whole blog post about the run, I realized I had completely left out the neck. As I was running, though, I was thinking about it. When I wanted to look left or right I had to twist my whole upper body. Then I spend a block and a half twisting back and forth, like Chubby Checkers, because I thought it might be good exercise. Remember, after he did “The Twist”, Checkers no longer particularly rated his nickname.
So I spent all week with a terrible cold but managed to make it through work, rehearsals and blog posts. By Friday I was actually feeling a little better. I still had the stiff neck on one side (I believe I mentioned it in Friday’s lame post), but my head felt better. Till I was on my way home, then I had that sick headache and the macaroni leg thing. Still, I thought I was on the mend.
I thought to seal my recovery I would take a Lorata-D, a rather powerful decongestant that is over the counter but you have to ask the pharmacist for it. I rarely take it, because although it clears me out like a sandblaster (only with different action, I imagine), the side effects are uncomfortable. If I take it at night, I can’t sleep at all. If I take it during the day I get horribly light-headed. I thought, I’ll outsmart it. I’ll take it at 4 p.m. I’ll only be lightheaded for the evening, I’ll probably sleep OK. If not, I have Saturday off; I can take a nap.
I actually didn’t sleep too badly. I had an hour or two of tossing and turning in the middle of the night, but I slept in by a few hours compared to my usual rising time. It was after I got up that the lightheadedness kicked in with a vengeance. I can’t do anything but sit here and feel lightheaded. It’s awful!!! Coffee didn’t help. Taking a walk with Tabby in the fresh air didn’t help. I feel I have no brain, and it is not fun.
After Steven went to work I went back to bed. I thought I could sleep, wake up and drink coffee and start over again. I slept a little and got up feeling every bit as useless. I remembered recently my sister saying on Facebook she had taken a detox bath with Epsom salts, baking soda and sea salt. I asked her if salt from salt potatoes would work (we haven’t bought table salt in years. Ever since we moved back from the south, where you unaccountably can’t get salt potatoes, it’s almost the only kind of potato we buy. They always give you way more salt than you need). She said she thought not as it was too refined. Well, I am not refined at all, so I thought it would even out. I tried it. If nothing else, I had to get clean and I did not feel like standing up in the shower (I know I’ve mentioned feeling this way before. My mother told me she has Grandma’s old lady shower chair that I can have if I really want it).
So here I am, clean and still lightheaded. Coffee is brewing; I can only hope it helps. As I read back over what I’ve typed (a rare day of composing at the computer instead of in my notebook), I see, not as amusing as I had hoped. Although I kind of like the bit about salt potatoes and not being refined. Still, I’ve managed to make my post. I can only try to be more scintillating tomorrow (do you pronounce the “c” when you say “scintillating”? I’ve always wondered).
Mohawk Valley Girl 