My head and chest cold is rioting, and I am coughing all night and into the morning. I’m forbidden from going outside. I think it’s getting better, but it’s a stubborn cold, and I am restless and uncomfortable. I hate to be still.
And I’m coughing my insides out.
My “Mind Your Own Business” campaign, launched with much fanfare, is already off to a shaky start.
The alarms and diagnoses are pouring in, the toll of the openly shared life:
“You are constantly sick! This isn’t normal!!,” said Jance, perhaps thinking of this as a loving message.
I responded politely to Janice, as I was housebound, restless, and looking for work. She was not alone.
Donna wrote that I was “abnormally sick” and should seek a doctor immediately, or better yet, get to an emergency room. Maria was not impressed by my cold; she did make me a cup of tea. She’s not one of those soothing caretakers.
That was enough. I’m skipping the other messages and deleting them.
I am sure Jance meant well (I’m not 100 percent sure), but her concern sounds more like an accusation than a get-well card.
If you follow the news, you will know that many people in our country and abroad would love to trade their woes for a head cold and cough. I’ll be up and around by tomorrow or Tuesday and am nothing but lucky and know it.
I’m pretty proud of my health these days. After Covid, I’ve brought my diabetes back to normal, and thanks to new technology and my new orthotic brace, I’ll be taking a walk up the hill with Zinnia on Monday, cold permitting.
As my nurse practitioner said to Maria, “there is nothing old about Jon.” Bless her.
I am happy to report that there is nothing dramatic about a head cold in the winter. I’ve had many. I don’t see the drama in it; it seems boring and routine.
I wonder what normal is anyway? I’m 75 years old. I’m going to catch a cold every now and then It feels normal to me.
The best thing to do is laugh about it; humor is a lifesaver in our grumpy world. When I stop laughing, I’ll be dead. I told Janice I had a mother, but it didn’t work out. I’m not looking for another one, God Forbid.
Like Maria, my doctor is unimpressed. She says everybody is sick these days, and I know that to be true. Cough it out is her advice. She’s not big on medications.
My best friend has had Covid five times and is afraid to leave the house. I’m doing pretty well. I prefer not to be mothered again, thanks.
I’ve never been accused of being normal, it has no appeal for me, and I’ve come to terms with it. But I should address people’s concerns when I take a sick day.
I expect we better get used to it.
I am committed to living an open life, although I do not reveal everything about my life, just the things I want to tell. I would be happy to report a head cold without being urged to call an ambulance.
That is perhaps wishful thinking.
The “Mind Your Own Business” campaign will require patience and tolerance and is almost certainly doomed. But it is worth trying.
Maria keeps an eye on me, and I keep an eye on myself. The dogs are great when I’m laid out.
I sleep in the center of a circle of canine nurses. When I sleep, they sleep. So I have pictures of Bud hopping up for his morning kiss, Zinnia sleeping on my foot, which she does when I’m sick, and Fate, too cool for cuddling, curled up next to me in her dog bed.
It helps. I hate being confined and shut down, but nothing seems to keep my mouth shut for long. Thanks for caring; you don’t need to care too much. My mother was the kind of person who memorized the telephone numbers of every State Police barracks in Rhode Island; if I were ten minutes late for a dinner invitation, she would be halfway down the list by the time I showed up, sure that my body was lying lifeless on some highway.
Believe me, Janice, a cold is nothing. The troopers all knew my mother’s name.
That is a really good pic of Fate…she looks so peaceful! Animals are greatcompanions when one is sick. Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks, Fate is beautiful, especially when she sleeps.
canine nurses//////////brilliant//////
thanks jon/maria
Jon, according to your blog, you’ve been sick twelve times this year, not two or three. That’s not typical of most people.
I’d rather be sick every day of my life than be you. Makes me feel very healthy and very lucky.
According to your post, you’re a ghoul with a computer and a pretender. There is no “typical” normal health for most people, let alone 75-year-old men with heart disease and diabetes, that is an invention meant to justify your invasion of my privacy and your perversion of computing. You cannot know my health by scanning my blog, and it is none of your business in any case. Go away and do not come back. How very sad Donald that you would pretend to be able to count my illnesses.What an empty life!
I would rather be sick every day for the rest of my life than be you.
The Mind Your Own Business campaign seems akin to a courageous third or fourth party candidacy. A worthy and just effort and a steep uphill battle. You have my support and admiration—and thanks!
Thank you Ed
Oh for heaven’s sake already! People are whacked…colds are pretty normal in winter..ignore them.
You’re pretty lucky in my book-a warm house, loving animals, Maria and a cup of tea and a Jane Harper book.
Sounds pretty good to me.
It is good Amy, thank you..
Hi Jon,
What a beautiful work of art the picture of Fate, it displays so much, peace, elegance, and beauty. They say pictures say 1000 words, well this is just one of your many.
If I may suggest a cough remedy? I; too am diabetic, in 70s and I don’t mind the head cold but the coughing is so hard on me, like you said, it doesn’t stop. AND it hurts. When I had a mild case of COVID this past November I remembered a recipe that I was given years ago and it is quite simple, no meds, and cheap! So feel free if you’d like to try and trust me it helps with the hacking cough. Take at least 3 onions (brown skin) doesn’t have to be big, boil them, until soft, (onions become sweet), drain the juice which you will be drinking, add sweetener of your choice again you don’t have to use much because the onions are sweet. Sip on at least a quarter cup warm, 3 times a day especially before bed and not only does it suppress the cough, it helps with inflammation and thins out the phlegm. It helped my sciatica pain and I have incorporated it into my diet on the regular (except when I forget to get onions!). Some people add whiskey to it to help them sleep. Just a suggestion. There are some recipes on line. Take care and thanks for the lovely pics! Well wishes for you both as you mend!
Hmmm, Angela. The boil water for the throat and the cooked onions for a soup. Sounds good to me!
You reminded me of that old warning on TV that said “it’s 10 pm, do you know where your children are?”. There was one parent who called all his teenage son’s friends asking ” Is Stanley there?” We all laughed at that. Now he’d be considered a helicopter parent I suppose. The power of suggestion and fear!!
Fear is strong, for sure…
During the really vicious part of the pandemic, many of us were very careful to avoid other people and to wear masks when we were out and about. That kept us from getting covid, but also kept us from getting the usual winter colds because we weren’t exposed to them. Consequently, we didn’t get the burst of immunity we usually get from having those colds. So we’re more vulnerable to them nowadays. It’s not surprising that you and many others are getting colds this winter. I’ve been lucky so far, but I expect I’ll get mowed down eventually. I hope I have the good sense to do what you are doing – get lots of rest, drink fluids, and just wait it out.
Gosh, that photograph with Bud is so lovely, all the interesting textures and shadows and connection and warmth. Nobody needs my two cents’ worth, but here to me your health sounds better year to year, each problem examined and worked on and improved by attunement with an excellent care team and self education. It’s been an inspiring read.
This post reminds me of Sartre’s “Hell is other people” quote, if in fact he actually said that. I should have Googled it before writing this. Heaven can also be other people, and animals for sure. The internet has become so tiresome. Without it, though, I would have never known about a lot of things that bring joy.
Best wishes on your campaign. Hope you recover quickly from this cold/flu going around.
Thanks, Barbara, nice post…