Forgetting to Breathe

Sounds like the title of a poem or song or short story or even a novel, doesn't it? Very emo, I think. But I don't mean it that way actually, although I may take that title and do something with it some day. But this post isn't anything creative or emotional, it's just another bitch fest. I can whine here because no one is being forced to listen to it. So, for anyone reading, consider yourself warned. You may want to get some cheese to go with this whine...

I am sick - again. I have either a nasty cold or the start of the flu. My throat feels like ground up meat and my voice is gone, ranging from soft and hoarse to almost no sound coming out. I feel like there is a weight on my chest - not an elephant at least, more like a heavy cat stretched out for a nap. I have a very small cough that tastes beyond nasty and hurts.

But it's the upper respiratory stuff that gets weird... My head is stuffy and pressure sensitive. Nothing unusual there. But my nose alternates between being clogged with concrete and open, albeit runny and slightly sore. When it's clogged, I keep forgetting to breathe. I know that sounds weird but what else would you expect from me? Once again I think a medical degree would be handy. Failing that, here is my best guess at what is happening.

I am almost exclusively a nose breather. So when my nose gets completely clogged, I end up accidentally holding my breath. Then my lungs start to yell at me, "HEY! REMEMBER US? BREATHE DAMMIT!" and I inhale deeply and remind myself to breathe for a while, until I forget and repeat the whole process.

In all, it really isn't all that serious. I suspect it is just a cold since I don't have a fever at all. And the rest of the symptoms, while certainly not fun, aren't nearly as bad as they could be. I did skip class today because I am 100% ready for the test Monday and all we are doing is continued review for it. The high probability of passing around my cold plus the pain of trying to talk with no voice just wasn't worth putting in an appearance just to say I was there.

At any rate, I hope this goes away soon. I'm struggling with mental and emotional fatigue enough as it is without adding physical fatigue and illness to the mix!