I started the year getting sick. I blog how I treated myself and the likely causes because I want to reference my treatment the next time I get sick. I didn't panic. I read my past sickness blogs to remind myself what I must do and don't. Coke, chocolate, and rest were my best treatments. Today's blog is minimally edited.
Wed Jan 10, 2018. Dry air. Throat was itchy. I woke up in the middle of the night to open my bedroom window because there was a fire in the fireplace. I slept with the window opened all night.
Thur Jan 11. Mental fatigue. I took a 52 minute nap. I felt better. Full workout at the gym. My throat was itchy before I went to sleep. I slept at 3am because I waited for the room to cool due to the fire in the fireplace.
Fri Jan 12. I took a Zyrtec at 12:10pm. Drank Coke. Troubled sleeping because I was too hot. I removed blankets. Very little coughing. I wanted to take another Zyrtec because mucus dripped down my throat. I couldn't because Zyrtec is taken once every 24 hours.
Sat Jan 13. Throat itched all day. Little coughing. I ate Ghirardelli chocolate squares which soothed my throat. Went to bed at 3am.
Sun Jan 14. High 70 degrees and low 48 degrees. I took a Zyrtec at 12:00pm. Fireplace was active. Little cough. Throat itchy. I baked brownies because I craved chocolate. I thought about my past sicknesses chocolate worked to soothe my throat. I washed my blankets. I slept with new bed sheets.
Mon Jan 15. High 66 and low 52. I lost my voice. I took a Zyrtec at 12:00pm. Small yellow color phlegm coughed out. I took at nap 5pm-8pm. I fear my sickness wasn't getting worse. The worse was coming soon. I went to bed at 12am. One long cough woke me up. I fell asleep at 4am.
Tue Jan 16. High 67 and low 49. I woke up at 6:15am coughing. The fear was realized. I took at Zyrtec at 6:50am being desperate. Ghirardelli dark chocolate 60% cacao and brownies didn't help. I felt bloated drinking water.
I read my last sicknesses blog
Allergies And Coughs October 2016. My recovery started on the seventh day after visiting an urgent care center. Today was day six. Coughed out small phlegm yellow color. Took a nap at 10am and at 2:30pm. My cough intensified waking up due to phlegm. I wanted to take Zyrtec. I saved Zyrtec before I slept and at least 12 hours the last time I took Zyrtec at 6:50am.
I went to bed at 1am. I coughed at 2:45am. I took Zyrtec at 3am. I coughed major at 4:55am. Zyrtec stopped working? I said to myself, "don't play doctor." If my sickness got worse, then I visit an urgent care center. I ate two slices of bread and a brownie. Felt a little bloated. I watched TV. I went to bed at 6am. I kept the lamp on.
Wed Jan 17. High 65 and low 50. No medications today. I toughed it out. Runny nose. Stuffy nose woke up me. Sneezing. All three were minimized after eating breakfast. Coughing minimized. Yellow colored phlegm. No afternoon nap. My plan was to sleep before 12am to begin a consistent weeknight normal sleep pattern. I went to bed at 1am. Coughing. Drank water. Coughing reduced. I ate two slices of bread, brownie, and cashews at 2am. I applied a Breathe Right strip on my nose at 4:30am.
Thur Jan 18. High 63 and low 47. Phlegm yellow color. Woke up at 9:30am with a long cough. I continued taking no medicine. I watched my water intake making sure I didn't get bloated. I woke up again at 11:00am half slept and half awoke. There were more long coughs. I told my body I'm on my own. I went to bed at 2:30am after eating bread, brownies, and cashews waiting for the room to cool. The fireplace was active earlier.
Fri Jan 19. High 56 and low 40. I thought about Zyrtec before going to bed. The mystery continued what sickness I had. I woke up at 10am. I cleaned my room. I vacuumed the mattress removing the white specks from my mattress pad. I coughed more. Throat dripping phlegm got worse. I drank less water. I slept with new bed sheets. I wore new pajamas. If I slept poorly, then I take a Zyrtec tomorrow. Fireplace was active. I opened my windows to cool the room. I planned to visit the urgent care center on Mon Jan 22 if no improvement.
Sat Jan 20. High 58 and low 42. Best sleep since Mon Jan 15. Chocolate had been working. I stopped drinking Coke. I took a Zyrtec at 10:30pm. Phlegm color yellow. Coughing minimal throughout the day; however, I coughed more taking the Zyrtec. I washed jackets. I ate chocolate before going to sleep.
Sun Jan 21. High 58 and low 46. Zyrtec was mixed results. I slept in two phases. No phlegm down my throat. Let's see how the Zyrtec worked today. I coughed out phlegm yellow color three times before 11:40am. I debated taking another Zyrtec at 10:30pm. I could take it tomorrow at 10:30pm if I couldn't sleep tonight. Coughs were here and there. There was nothing to worry. I must sleep to recover. I gained three pounds due to lack of sleep and lack of exercise.
Mon Jan 22. High 60 and low 44. I woke up two times due to bad coughs. Ate Ghirardelli chocolate. I feel asleep. I took it easy. Afternoons naps. No Zyrtec. If I didn't improve before Fri Jan 26, then I visit an urgent care center. One major cough and a few minor coughs in the morning. I could deal with daytime phlegm down my throat because it helped me recover. I couldn't deal with nighttime phlegm down my throat because I couldn't sleep. Coughs good daytime. Coughs bad nighttime.
I reviewed my sicknesses blog
Allergies And Coughs October 2016 again. I was inconsistent taking Zyrtec in Oct 2016. Perhaps I should be consistent. I took a Zyrtec at 11:30pm starting today for the week. Coughs were few today. I felt phlegm down my throat. I couldn't drink water today because I felt bloated. I had been eating Jell-O for a few days. I desired to go back to the gym. I didn't know what day. My answer was when I start getting good sleep.
Tue Jan 23. High 59 and low 42. Setback. I woke up twice because of two long coughs. I ate multiple Ghirardelli chocolates squares to calm down. I stopped taking Zyrtec. Fri Jan 26 visit to urgent care center if I got worse was still a go. Coughs unproductive no phlegm in the morning. The afternoon coughing improved with light yellow phlegm. I went back to old school recovery my body took care of itself recovering. itself. Zyrtec doubtful. Perhaps I needed to eat a meal before I took a Zyrtec. Trial and error. I ate two slices of bread and cashews before I slept.
Wed Jan 24. High 59 and low 43. I was in bed 12am to 12pm. I slept for ten hours last night. Best sleep. No Zyrtec. I woke up once last night. I ate Ghirardelli squares. I went back to sleep. Phlegm light yellow color. Two coughs in the afternoon. Fireplace was active. Cough intensified at night. I ate Cadbury chocolate to temporarily relieve my cough.
Thur Jan 25. High 57 and low 40. I went to bed at 2am. I woke up at 7:45am. I couldn't get back to sleep. One big cough woke me up. I ate chocolate to get back to sleep. I woke up at 12pm. My throat felt like sandpaper. I could taste food fortunately. Coughs were few. No coughs in the afternoon. Phlegm continued down my throat. I drank Starbucks hot chocolate.
Fri Jan 26. High 57 and low 38. Went to bed at 2am. I woke up at 9am. I went back to sleep. I woke up at 11:50am. Target day to go back to the gym was Mon Jan 29. One major cough last night before I slept. One Cadbury chocolate square calmed me. Fireplace was active. I opened my bedroom window upstairs. Phlegm was active at night. Minor coughing when exposed to the fire.
Sat Jan 27. High 62 and low 42. Slept without interruption. Throat felt dry. I slept at 1am. I woke up at 9:30am. No coughing. Air still dried. Rare cough when phlegm down my throat. I drank chocolate milk. More random coughs at nighttime. There was a major cough in the morning before I brushed my teeth. I didn't brush my teeth before I went to bed just in case I needed to eat Cadbury chocolate. I should have brushed my teeth.
Sun Jan 28. High 67 and low 43. I still had sensitivity to cold. Cold made me cough. I slept with four blankets last night. Cough went down. My throat was dry when I woke up. I still had sensitivity to dry air. No interruptions sleeping last night from 1:30am-12pm. Phlegm color was white.
Mon Jan 29. High 67 and low 48. I slept from 2am to 11am. No interruptions. Extra sleep continued during the week. One cough in the morning. One cough in the afternoon. Phlegm down my throat when I'm cold. Easy cardio workout. I coughed once in the gym from phlegm. No drinking cold water. I was sensitive to cold at the gym. Needed to eat chocolate when I arrived home.
Tue Jan 30. High 68 and low 46. I slept from 12am to 11am. I woke up in the morning because I was cold. I added another blanket. One cough in the morning. No coughs the rest of the day. No phlegm down my throat at the gym. I drank room temperature bottle water.
Wed Jan 31. High 68 and low 47. I slept from 12:30am to 10:45am. It took a long time to fall asleep. I was too warm. I opened the window for 30 minutes. I woke up in the middle of the night needing another blanket from three blankets to four blankets. Throat felt like sandpaper when the air was dry. Drank water. Body still sensitive to cold. I didn't have the "I like cold" feeling. Phlegm color white.
Thur Feb 1. High 73 and low 50. I slept from 12:45am to 10:30am. I still took time to fall asleep. The window opened at night before I went to bed helped me fall asleep. The temperature differences between the highs and lows were a concern because my body had difficulty adjusting to warm days and cold nights. I must establish a normal sleep routine soon. I didn't want to continue adjusting next week. Maybe sickness recovery a factor? Phlegm color white.
Fri Feb 2. High 74 and low 50. I slept from 12:15am to 10:30am. I woke up at 6:40am because I thought of a blog idea. Troubled getting back to sleep. I needed a fourth blanket momentarily. Phlegm color white.
Sat Feb 3. High 76 and low 52. I slept with four blankets last night. I wore jeans and two short sleeve shirts during errands. I wore a t-shirt and shorts at home during the day. I opened the windows fully before I went to sleep. Phlegm color white.
Mon Feb 5. High 76 and low 49. Today was the day after Super Bowl. I slept 4am-11am. I woke up with phlegm down my throat. No rain forecasted this week. Warm temperatures. Dry air. I continued eating Cadbury chocolate. I ate anything including pizza and salad. No phlegm throughout the day. I wore extra clothes. My cold tolerance continued to be weak.
Tue Feb 6. High 76 and low 47. I slept 3:15am-12pm. Dry air. Recovery continued. Normal sleep pattern must be established. One hour spent per job skill learning and reviewing. Windows opened fully to keep room cool all day. Gym exercises continued to ease to normal workouts. Take it easy. Take it slow. Increment.
Wed Feb 7. High 77 and low 49. I slept 1:30am-11:30am. I drank water two times because the dry air woke me up twice. Phlegm had not been a problem. Rest. Ate good meals. I ate chocolate to soothe my phlegm down my throat at night.
Thur Feb 8. High 77 and low 49. I slept 12:15am-11:15am. I was too hot last night. I woke up early in the morning because I heard dad's alarm. I had trouble getting back to sleep. I removed one blanket resulting in sleeping with one blanket and a bed sheet. Temperature range 70-40 was as bad as 80-50.
Fri Feb 9. High 78 and low 49. I slept 12:15am-11:00am. I started sleeping with two blankets. I needed an extra blanket in the middle of the night. There was phlegm down my throat three instances. I ate chocolate to soothe my throat.
Sat Feb 10. High 71 and low 43. I slept 2:00am-11:30am. I took a long time to fall asleep. I was on the computer job searching and catching up with my email before I went to bed. No chocolate needed last night.
How Did I Get Sick
Frozen Pork Meals. The family didn't eat fresh meals on Sun Jan 14. Eating poor meals could contribute to a sickness which has in the past. My sickness symptoms started on Mon Jan 10. My sickness intensified on Mon Jan 15. Probability: 75%.
Side note: I experience sick like symptoms when I ate Mexican Oregano two times in early Mar 2018. I drank Coke for one day or two days. Symptoms disappeared.
Fireplace Active. The wood burning stove at the fireplace was burning wood. My room was too hot. The air was dry. I opened the windows to cool the room. I slept with the windows opened. I should have set a timer to wake up in the middle of the night to close the windows to prevent sleeping in too cold conditions. Probability: 60%.
It Was In The Air. Everyone was getting sick. Probability: 40%.
Mattress Pad. I didn't realize my mattress pad was breaking apart. I might have been inhaling the white specks. There was a blessing in disguise. I vacuumed my mattress removing the specks. I removed the pad. I don't sleep with a mattress pad currently. Probability: 20%.
Too Much Time On The Computer. I got sick of all the times I stayed up late on the internet. I have been staying up late on the internet in the past; fortunately, staying up is irregular. Probability: 15%.
Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com
