Alright, so maybe that was a tad bit overdramatic...

Day 1: Itchy throat, possibly due to post-nasal drip? Would be likely if not for dry nasal passages.

Day 2: Beginning to cough. Itchy throat continues, mainly at night. No respiratory distress noted. Slight nausea.

Day 3: Cough worsens. Itchy throat develops into slightly sore throat, but only while sleeping. No difficulty breathing normally, but becomes slightly winded with what normally is light physical activity (e.g. climbing up two flights of stairs).

Day 4 (today): Cough worsens, is less dry, more productive. Slight wheeze with deep breath. Sore throat at night. Beginning to have stuffy/runny nose. Sneezing. Beginning to have that slightly detached feeling, as though walking in a dream.

So I've ruled out the flu (thank God) on the basis that there has been no bout of fever/chills and the onset of symptoms was progressive. Allergies are out, too, due to the gradual onset of symptoms and lack of change when removed to a different environment. It's some sort of cold I'm guessing, but an insidious one, not because it is particularly severe, but because for about 3 days there, I was thinking, "Oh, this isn't so bad. It's going to blow over quickly!" But it hasn't. It's only gotten worse.

I've got my trusty guaifenesin/dextromorphan cough syrup for simultaneously suppressing the cough while making it more productive to dislodge that phlegm. I've got my saline solution to rehydrate my nasal passages at night. I've got my orange juice and water to keep myself hydrated while I fight this off. I've got my ibuprofen on hand just in case there's some fever lurking beyond the horizon. And, perhaps most importantly, I've got a good mind to cut out of work if things start to go downhill fast. I simply will not be one of those people who keep working even though they're clearly intensely suffering. That's just nuts.

And that's also the reason why I'm like this in the first place.

EDIT: And I'm home.

Two more people at work today sounded like hell. I hope they have the good sense to either go home or lock themselves in their offices as much as possible to limit exposing others to the virus.

Bleh
I'm on day 4 as well, but it took me only 2 days to get there. Hopefully this accelerated development means it will also die faster...?

Oh and the last time I tried cough syrup I almost barfed. Hopefully they've made some better stuff since then, because "orange flavored" didn't do anybody any favors
» The-Muffin-Man on 2008-03-31 01:57:42

well, I think saying whether or not it was a flu is a matter of terminology. When I was a lad, you didn't have the flu unless you were barfing your brains out for at least 7 full days and you had a mad fever and chills and aches. Thank Heaven's most boundless mercy, this was not the case. I did however have a fever over 100 and alternating sweats and chills, and a terrible crick in my neck, though I've begun to think that is unrelated. My disease began with a sore throat that lasted several days unaccompanied by other symptoms. Congestion came next, followed by extreme fatigue, fever, etc., and at its worst, general pain in my core as if someone were poking me in the liver or kidneys with a big iron rod. With Nyquil my coughs became dangerously mucous-rich, without Nyquil they were unproductive and inhibiting sleep. After a 30-hour Nyquil-a-thon, during which I was awake for just long enough to watch "The Adventures of Milo and Otis" and drink water and a bowl of chicken soup, most of the symptoms left me and I remained with a violent and sporadic cough which I carry unto this very day. Hopefully you don't have that, but if you do, just thank the merciful Lord that you don't have either the stomach flu or mono, both of which I can say with credibility are much worse. Also that random disease I had last March when they decided to test me for leukemia- that was also much worse, although I dare say, that one at least wasn't accompanied by any congestion.
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:15:13

Hey, you read a book by Scott Westerfield. he's the one that wrote Uglies, eh? and Pretties and also Specials.
Those are the three that I read. They were pretty good summer reading have to say. What was the one that you read about?
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:18:18

What's that? It's 5:18 and I haven't done anything I was supposed to do today? What? eh? Impossible.
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:18:51

I did read a large amount of material on aeolian processes and yardangs. Ah, yardangs. Apparently they are present in all the world's major deserts 'cept Australia. But they'll be dead soon. Fucking kangaroos. I think I should go to Australia and study why there are not yardangs there.
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:20:11

Oh, and guess what was the worst part about my sickness???? It made me miss going to DC and hanging out with Jo-jo-a-go-go and Xsti and Dan and Rory and Fritz and Fritz's gf, and Fritz's gf's bff! They were all going to be there. We were going to go to the freakin' cherry blossom festival. And the kite festival. I couldn't even cancel my flight, I had to postpone it to some random time in the future. Maybe Dan can still host me then. :(
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:22:40

omg I just thought of something hilarious but you don't have a
profile link button so it's like impossible to note youuuuu! Well, you have the link that says, "My Profile" but when I follow it it doesn't go anywhere. I'll tell you on fb. ciao!
» Zanzibar on 2008-03-31 05:24:32

Ah yes, the beginning of Spring, and colds are in the air. Love is probably helping to spread them. :P
» randomjunk on 2008-03-31 08:10:26

get well soon.
» renaye on 2008-03-31 11:42:46

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