Yep, It's Bronchitis

It was caught very early, before it settled in, but definitely Bronchitis. Hell, even Joyce, Donna and Kathi were saying it was yesterday-they've heard me with it enough times, the lovely Kathleen Turner raspy voice and all.

Antibiotics, codeine cough medicine and an albuterol inhaler and I should be on the mend in about 48 hours.

Yesterday, since I couldn't get to the doctor, I bought two unusual things: Tissues and a Neti Pot. My feeling is that TP and Tissues are the same stuff, so I usually use the stuff that wipes my butt to wipe my nose (but not both, folks-one or the other. You people are GROSS!) When I used a half a roll of TP on my nose yesterday alone, I figured it was time to get a box of Kleenex instead.

The Neti Pot was interesting. It's a concept I could get behind, with my constantly blocked upper sinuses and all. A Neti pot is filled with a luke warm saline solution and inserted in one of your nostrils. Then, you tilt your head to allow the warm water pour through one nostril and out the other.

This is supposed to help flush the sinuses, removing mucus and irritants. Supposed to being the operative word.

Either one of my nostrils is deformed, or it was so blocked that the warm water wasn't enough to cut through what is in there. I suspect the latter, and the salt water went down the back of my throat instead of out the other nostril. Even witn breathing through my mouth like the instructions stated.

A tip here: If you decide you want to use a Neti pot, breathing through your mouth means "Pant like a dog that is overheated, otherwise, you'll be tasting salt water for days".

The Neti Pot gets a solid C after three uses. I think Saline Spray works just as well for me. I'll give the thing another go when there isn't enough gunk up there to rival The Blob in volume.

In other news, Ed should be home tomorrow or Wednesday. The big concern I have right now is that I need to SANITIZE the whole freaking bed. The sheets and comforters are not an issue, the mattress itself is. We can flip it over, but that means there are still bad germs in the house. I'm tempted to go buy a Protect A Bed cover, but seventy bucks on a queen size cover that will be used a couple of years seems foolish, when we plan on upgrading our ten year old mattress to a King as soon as is humanly possible.

I suppose we should be talking to the nurses about that sort of stuff. It also makes me wonder if they'll want us on prophylactic antibiotics, like when my boss years ago had meningitis. They put her husband on the same antibiotics because he lived in the same house.

Now that I won't be coughing my fool head off all night long, I'm going to tuck myself in and get some much needed sleep.


Comments

DoeWDW said…
I just started using a Neti Pot myself - horrible spring allergies are driving me NUTS! The secret is to keep your head tilted forward so the salt water doesn't end up going down your throat. Learned this one the HARD way. LOL!

I do like the Neti Pot and it helps unless my sinuses are totally clogged. Then it's useless, just like you found. I end up putting some saline up there, and then removing the Neti Pot so it can run back out the way it went in.

Best wishes for feeling better very soon and for getting everything ready for Ed's return home.
- Doreen in PA
Jill said…
Sorry you're sick. Bronchitis sucks...I had it last Fall.

I can't use things like a neti pot because I don't have "gunk" up there clogging me up. The insides of my nostrils/sinuses are just swollen because of allergies. So products like that don't help.
Unknown said…
My sister had bronchitis growing up. For years. It took a LOOONNNGGG time for that stuff to clear up. I hope yours gets better in a hurry. Listening to her cough used to make me cringe.
glad to hear Ed's coming home! hope both of you start feeling better soon.
Saffa Chick said…
So sorry to hear about your worsening week since I last popped in! Oh heavens when it rains it pours...

I hope you and Ed both get better quickly. I'm thinking of you.

I haven't tried the neti pot, but I use the saline spray from time to time. That is also supposed to "pour from the bottom nostril" but it doesn't do it for me. Oh well. It still helps my hayfever, and that's all that matters ;-)
I had it last month for a few weeks, yuck. Hope you start to feel better soon. Stopping by from MomDot Blog Link A Thon to say hello :)
I am sorry that you are sick.

(get better soon)

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