Wednesday night into Thursday...
Unfortunately, I'm still showing symptoms of the cold, and have also given it to my entire family (who are all, rightfully, upset at me. Well... except for my brother, as he now has a reason to stay home from school for the next couple days). My professors don't want me coming anywhere near them either till I quick my dry hacking, so I am still stuck at home. Though, amazingly, I'm feeling quite a bit better than I did just a few days ago.
My lungs and sinuses are completely clear of mucus. My throat is still sore and itchy, not because of any active infection, but because it's raw and dry from my constant coughing and the post-nasal drip that has since gone away. The only things I got to do from here on out are stay at home, keep chugging down lemon-honey throat coat tea, regularly apply some special lotion stuff to my nostrils and face below them, and just keep doing what I'd otherwise be doing already.
All of my college work is 100% online, and my persuasive speech isn't until Thursday next week (or, the Thursday of this week, assuming I'll be healthy enough to rejoin writer's in-person). So, the threat of falling behind isn't even there. Even if it was, I could easily afford a couple missed assignments (given that I'm holding solid A's in both classes, somehow). But, I've needed something to do while myself and my family self-isolate till all three of us beat this cold (because my energy levels haven't been impacted by this illness whatsoever), so I've kept up with my assignments with no trouble.
Honestly, I'm just amazed by how quick and easy this cold was compared to my past "colds". The hardest part of this illness has been waiting for things to progress to the point I'd need antibiotics, near-weekly doctors' appointments, four extra hours spent breathing in nebulized medication while wearing my Vest, all while putting my college on medical hold for as long as I needed to get better.
Clearly, that hasn't happened (and won't), as my body has stopped producing any snot or mucus, and I can breathe easily and clearly without sneezing or coughing every two minutes. The only thing that's currently getting to me is my dry throat. Any time I open my mouth to talk or yawn, it feels like a hairball is back there and needs to be hacked out. Except... there's nothing in my throat. It's only raw and itchy because... well... throats get raw and itchy during and shortly after colds. But, I suspect in a few days, that too, will go away, and I will be completely back to my old self.
All it took was some patience, lots of tea and honey, a daily hot, steamy shower, soup, and Advil. Y'know... the stuff "normal" people use to successfully soothe their cold symptoms.
No more antibiotics, no more upside-down nasal washes, no more vest treatments, no more 16-hour-long "naps", no more hospital visits, no more "you have X years to live if you don't beat this thing" talks from doctors, no more CAT scans or MRI machines, no more PICC lines or Red Man's Syndrome. None of that shit is necessary for me to get over a cold anymore. Which again... just shocks me beyond words.
