My favorite things when I have a cold.

I have had a cold-thing for about two weeks now. I got it from The Boy, so I reserve all rights to blame him entirely for this misery and cough in his general direction. It started out with an earache, sore throat, and stuffy nose, and it seemed to be almost gone after a week. But then I developed a cough and it has been all downhill from there.

Thanks to my graduation two weeks ago and my current state of insurance-providing-joblessness, I put off going to the doctor. But since this cough has been going strong for about a week now and I also have asthma to contend with, I think I will wind up there tomorrow. Gimme the drugs, doc! Or at least rule out bronchitis or asthma-related complications.

Although I am already on some pretty good over-the-counter drugs. When you have a cold, you are going to be pretty miserable no matter what. But there are a few things you can do to help mitigate that misery (thereby mitigating the misery you inflict on your fiance for putting you in this predicament in the first place).

1. Delsym 12-Hour Cough Suppressant

This stuff has generally treated me pretty well for standard cold coughing. It's just a cough supressant, so if you don't have any other symptoms you aren't loading up your body with additional and unnecessary medications. Plus since it is a 12 hour formula you only have to remember to take it twice a day. I don't know about you, but when I am sick I really don't feel like watching to clock to see when I can take my next dose 4-6 hours after the last one.


2. Mucinex D


This is an OTC product, but they keep it locked up in the pharmacy so you have to show your ID to purchase it. Like Delsym, it's a specialist, and as Penelope Trunk says, the best way to ensure you'll always be in demand is to become a specialist (although I don't imagine she necessarily intended that line of thinking for cold medication). Mucinex D tackles sinus, nasal, and chest congestion.


3. Sleep

Isn't my girl adorable! That's my cat, Cutie. Hey, I named her when I was 12, give a girl a break.

Mmm, sleep. The terrible quandary about this is that when sick, it can be really difficult to sleep. Um. I actually don't have any tips on this one as I am currently struggling with it myself.

4. Cuddle with your kitty

My other kitty Cole. Can't go posting pictures of Cutie without him getting jealous.

Aww, well, now I am just getting goofy here. But maybe not. Articles pop up every now and then about the "Benefits of Pet Therapy for Sick People." So go cuddle a pet and feel less stressed, less lonely (which you might be feeling if you're channeling Typhoid Mary), and just better overall.

And I think that is what I am going to go do now. Time to go relax with my kitties and again attempt that thing called sleep.