I didn’t plan on spending the first week of December in bed with a head cold. My actual to-do list included finishing up the Philadelphia section of my book, getting an article ready for submission to a newsletter, and making a cute invitation for my holiday party next week. Instead I napped a lot, went through two boxes of tissue, and spent hours staring at my plants.
As writing 1000 words on staring at plants is a creative leap I am not ready to take this weekend, you get my take on how to be sick instead.
First. What follows is coming from a place of extreme privilege. I understand that many people cannot afford to take a day off of work unless they are in the hospital. There were times in my life when I would show up for a shift even if I was throwing up because it meant paying rent. The American health insurance system is broken. The child care system is broken. The social services systems are broken. People should be able to take care of their health without worrying about the financial consequences. That said, the following is a list of recommendations to make being sick a little less awful.
Meds: A good cocktail of OTC drugs can be a lifesaver (obviously talk to an actual doctor about this stuff). My favorite recipe to soothe the common cold is as follows:
-Sudafed. Don’t skimp on the knock-off, watered down version. You want the good stuff that is behind the counter because it is an important Meth ingredient. I get mine in Canada whenever possible and horde the stuff like a dragon. Sudafed reduces the congested feeling and allows all the goop in those sinus cavities and tubes to run freely instead of getting stopped up and claggy with infectables. As a lifelong ear infection sufferer, early Sudafed intervention keeps me off of heavier stuff later on.
-antihistamine. I am a loratadine fan myself as the active ingredients in Benadryl makes me super high. Antihistamines dry up the snot rivers at the source. This can dry out your nose a bit, so keep it lubricated with triple anti-biotic ointment or some salve to stave off nos-blowing related irritation.
-guaifenesin. This is the active ingredient in musinex and many other expectorants. It thins mucus and makes it easier to move out of your lungs. It does make your pee smell weird.
Like most cocktails, the all in one bottles sold at box stores never quite live up to a well crafted mix of individual ingredients. Every body is different and splitting up the ingredients means that you can figure out what works for you and your symptoms.
Hydration when sick is imperative. I am a big fan of water, but there were a few empty Body Armor bottles on my bedside table throughout the week. I like Body Armor because it is free of artificial stuff, unlike other sport drink brands—I just figure my kidneys are processing enough junk without adding Red40 to the mix.
Once you have symptoms under control you can start focusing on the convalescent experience.
-Pillows are key for finding the perfect elevation that allows for sinus drainage, but also dropping into a mid-day (or mid-night) round of REM. I like a cotton or linen pillowcases as they breathes well and doesn’t make weird fabric-on-fabric sliding noises when I get feverish and sweaty (looking at you synthetic but still adorable dinosaur bedding from big box-store).
-Humidifier. I don’t know the scientific reason that humidifiers ease cold symptoms and general misery, but my plants like them and so do I. Especially in the early mouth breathing days of a cold, my throat and lips get so dry. Having my alocasia’s Lěvoit blasting mist in my face 24/7 is a throat saver.
-Tissue. I am all about reusable paper products and have a cute supply of vintage hankies tucked in pockets and purses, but for a proper head cold, those dainty ladies aren’t gonna cut it. I need my Puffs plus with lotion. I used to get the Puffs with aloe, but it has become a unicorn the last decade or so. At the beginning of school, I pick up a case of Puffs knowing that Winter is Coming.
-Essential Oils. I currently have an elderly cat who wheezes if I look at a bottle of eucalyptus, but I am a huge fan of this woo woo staple. Mind you, I buy them cheap at the heath food store (no MLM support please) and am agnostic in my belief of medicinal benefits, but they smell nice when so much of being sick doesn’t.
Hopefully by day three or four you are feeling well enough to crack your eyes open and start considering some entertainment. I consumed bits and bobs of a variety of media this past week and have thoughts.
Top Picks: Stumble (Peacock) is a fantastic new comedy about a disgraced cheerleading coach who takes on a new team. The characters are delightful, the three episodes available were well paced with believable (as much as an absurdist comedy can be) plot lines, that hit in all the feely spots.
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds, and the Paranormal is a British based podcast that covers history in a fun way. When I wasn’t up for screen time, this podcast made up most of my queue. I enjoyed learning about the beginnings of the foundling homes in England, as well as a few historic crimes, and what Mad King George’s final days were like. The hosts specialize in Tudor and Georgian history, but often have special guests on to fill in the spaces.
Once We Were Spacemen is a podcast hosted by Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk of Firefly fame. It is very new so binging can be done in an afternoon. It was like listening to two dear friends chat over a beer. Comfort food for the ears.
There were a few shows I would not recommend, but they were great for inspiring upcoming Overthinkings on a variety of topics so I won’t give spoilers.
Well friends and Mom. (Hi Mom!) I hope you stay well as the winter draws nigh but stock up on tissue and Sudafed just in case.
Mamasquatch the Writer 
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