Cough.
Pee.
Sneeze.
Cough.
Pee.
Blow my nose.
Cough.
Pee.
Hack up my left lung.
Cough.
Pee.
Try to curl up in a ball.
Cough.
Pee.
Hack up my right lung.
Cough.
Pee.
Watch my belly jiggle like Santa Claus'.
Cough.
Pee.
D got sick first. Day 1 - headache. Day 2 - feel like crap. Day 3 - heaves. Day 4 - more heaves. Day 5 - feel blah. Day 6 - feel better and get out of the house. Day 7 - feel like crap again. Day 8 - back to normal except a cough. I was afraid he had the flu, but thankfully, he didn't.
When I developed a cough, I was afraid I was catching whatever he had, but it turns out I just have a severe sinus infection thanks to higher levels of progesterone and the wacky weather we're having here in Oklahoma. Spring, winter, spring, winter - Mother Nature needs to figure out what month and what season it is and stick to it. And, lucky me, being of the pregnant variety, I don't get to take anything that would actually cure me. I went to the doctor the day after I developed the dry cough and guess what they gave me? Regular, plain old cough syrup. Within 2 days I was beyond miserable and I was so full of snot - sorry, it's a gross word, but I don't want you to miss out on any part of my experience :) - and my nasal passages were so swollen that if I got up to walk 10 feet I was huffing and puffing like a race horse. I consulted my "safe list" of meds from my OB and headed off to town for some meds to try to dry myself out. I bought what I thought was on the list, but low and behold, when I got home I discovered that the meds on the safe list were "plain" and the only thing the store had was not "plain".
After suffering for two days, desperation began to set in. In previous years several friends have raved about neti pots and I first learned about them when I was teaching yoga, but I never tried using one because the thought of liquid going up my nose created a serious panic attack and a need to go hide in the back of my closet. How do you not drown and die?
My little neti pot.
However, when you're pregnant and you can't take anything and "suffer" just isn't on your list of to-do's, desperation will override many fears. So, on Sunday morning I braved the neti pot experience. I didn't even hesitate. I read the directions and got right to it. I amazed myself. The first time I put in contacts or used a nasal spray it took me more than 15 minutes to work up the courage to get the deed done. But, I conquered the neti pot in about 5 seconds. And, holy moly, stop the presses I had immediate relief! I could breathe and it felt awesome! I still had a cough, but the snot had gone bye-bye! I highly recommend using a neti pot if you're full of snot, too.
Coughing is what I've been doing ever since. And between the increasing weight of the growing human in my uterus, the increased volume of water I'm having to drink and the violent coughing fits, I cannot run to the bathroom fast enough. It's terrible, but I'm told it's normal. ??? I assure you, there is nothing normal about having to run to the bathroom because you're having a coughing fit and you're afraid that you're going to wet your pants in a very public way.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I just coughed and need to run to the bathroom again.
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