Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Coughing and spluttering into 2008

It is a truth universally acknowledged that as soon as the festive season hoves into view, I am struck down with a lurgy of some description or other. In 2006, I had flu from hell which left me basically bedridden for a week, only crawling out to tend to the Grey Mare's needs and to drink Lemsip. This year, it was a cold which has morphed into a dry, hacking cough. One of the girls at the stables asked me if I had kennel cough the other day; I don't think she's that far from the mark.

I have been woken night after night, coughing up my guts as they (don't) say in polite society. My stomach muscles are aching with the effort. During the day, I have had to stop and catch my breath after doing anything vaguely energetic. The Grey Mare has been literally running rings round me in the morning when I take her down to her paddock. She is supposed to be the invalid but I am the feeble one. And I hate feeling feeble.

I have dosed myself up with hot lemon drinks, two varieties of cough medicine and little pills that boast they are 'flu strength' at stamping out the symptoms of coughs and colds. However, I don't think any of them work; cough medicine tastes nice but what does it actually do? I would love to find one that was as effective as the Drambuie my Grandad gave me last night. Unfortunately, I can't spend my life sipping Drambuie for medical reasons.

This morning, I awoke after an undisturbed night's sleep. I think I may be on the mend: typically, it's back to work tomorrow.

13 comments:

Nunhead Mum of One said...

I know exactly how you feel - my cold has left me with an annoying cough that I can only stop when I choke. how very unattractive. But it was useful for dislodging unwelcome visitors in the run up to Christmas and today I employed it spectacularly on a particularly persistent Jehovahs Witness.

"Oh, cough, I'm, hack, not, gurgle, well....choke" along with accompanying hand waving and bending double. The poor man shot off my doorstep faster than you could say "Beechams".

Gorilla Bananas said...

Honey is better for a cough than any powder in a sachet, ma'am. Take a gorilla's word for it.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

NMO, you should patent it as Jehovah's Witness deterrant... and sure there'd be plenty of buyers...

Gorilla Bananas, you may well be right. I was already thinking of buying some local honey - a friend in the next village claims never to have had a cold since she started taking it daily.

Beth said...

It's horrible having a cold and I definately echo the suggestion re: honey - apparently studies show it's much more effective than cough syrup!

Anyway, I used to post here as Scuffy Mummy but have just set up a new blog to motivate me to write a book - I have a meeting with a literary agent in the New Year and need to get some writing done! Please check it out - I'd love your thoughts as I'm looking for input from people who are childfree or who are trying to make the decesion to have kids or not. http://childrenornot.blogspot.com

Zig said...

my cold has left me dizzy - it saves on getting drunk but I can't sit n my horsey without slipping off!

Whispering Walls said...

Happy New Year to you and the Grey Mare!

Gill said...

Honey and hot water and lemon and whisky in combination. oh and stop ignoring your body telling you to rest or it will just sabotage you and make you iller.

Brom said...

You and me both!!

A Christmas that wasn't the best, I suppose it could have been worse tho'!

There isn't much you can do about a virus, just hang on tight and try to 'enjoy' the ride!!

Jodie Robson said...

Judging from the cheerful expressions, the children in your picture are obviously being given rosehip syrup - perhaps you should try a regular dose next winter to keep you healthy!

Hope you're feeling better and all the best for 2008 to you and the Grey Mare.

rilly super said...

M&M, re the drambuie, I've just seen tomorrow's weather forecast for your patch so I'd get a case in if I were you.

Mopsa said...

What about dosing up on those Drambuie chocolate liqueurs? They were always my second favourite (after the cherry brandy ones).

muddyboots said...

typical isn't it, Christmas & new year = bugs, cough, flu, runny nose......

@themill said...

The ONLY good thing about getting porkier than I should be is that I never get flu or cold bugs anymore...