My absence last week was due to a cold/flu that knocked me off my feet. I tend to get really sick when I get a cold -- a sinus infection is always guaranteed -- but this one was really different for a couple reasons.
I had felt a cold coming on for a week or two before I got really sick, and I tried to fight it by exercising, drinking lots of tea and orange juice (which I hate), eating clementines, resting and generally trying to take care of myself.
Oh, and I used this new friend of mine: my NeilMed NasaFlo neti pot (no, this is not a paid advertisement for this product, just an account of my personal experience).
I used this thing daily to help keep my sinuses clear so an infection wouldn't develop, and to hopefully flush that oncoming cold away.
It didn't keep the cold away; I woke up last Monday morning with more aches than I could recount, a headache, a cough, nausea and a general sick feeling. I had a temperature of 99.5. I continued the "cold treatment" regiment and told myself I'd call my doctor if I didn't feel better the next day. I thought it might be the flu. Ugh.
Tuesday morning, I was glad to notice the aches were gone, but now I was coughing and congested. I upped the neti pot usage to twice that day, but I was getting afraid of an impending sinus infection and started taking decongestants. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much Tuesday night because I couldn't breathe.
The neti pot didn't even work Wednesday I was so congested. Uh oh. Thankfully I had Monday as a vacation day, and I took sick days Tuesday and Wednesday to rest. Thursday and Friday were also vacation days, but I was supposed to be going up to Bretton Woods, NH, for my annual ski trip with my sister and aunt. I called my aunt to tell her I didn't think I was going to make it.
Miraculously, I felt better on Thursday -- still sick -- but I could breathe! I made the decision to drive up to NH Friday night and just make sure I got lots of rest after skiing.
Sorry for the TMI, but I don't want you to think I was slacking off here. :) I didn't even open my computer for the majority of last week, except to email my aunt.
I'm still recovering a bit, but I made it through a cold in ONE WEEK without getting a sinus infection! Folks, you have no idea what this means to me; I can't remember the last time I got sick and was able to recover so quickly without an infection. It has been at least 15 years. I owe it to the neti pot, which if you haven't tried, you should. Everyone told me how great it was for years before I tried it, and I was really skeptical, but it does work.
I had a decent weekend skiing. Unfortunately, I didn't feel much like myself, but I managed ok. My sister and I took a private lesson on Sunday, and the instructor (Leah -- who was awesome) took us out on a couple of black diamond trails, which we navigated quite well! She gave me three things to work on, and I will be quite busy mastering them for the rest of the season. I spent Sunday afternoon mostly tumbling down the slopes due to eight inches of fresh ungroomed powder, intense concentration on what I was doing and being tired.
Oh, and then I slipped and fell down the stairs in front of the ski resort hitting myself in the head with one ski and dropping the other down the stairs. OUCH! Still a little sore from that.
Tomorrow I am hoping to do a post on our stay at Bretton Woods. A little travel article for you guys.
3 comments:
Glad you are feeling better. I've been hearing good things about neti pots, too, but have been kind of skeptical and also hesitant to try it. I'm afraid I'll feel like I'm drowning. Happy to hear it worked for you.
That tumble you took at the ski resort sounds horrible. No wonder you're sore. Take care.
Oh man, the fall down the stairs sounds awful. I hope you feel better from that and from being sick ASAP!
I love my Neti Pot! I don't use it often, but it's equal parts gross and awesome when I do, haha.
Glad you're feeling better! I was recently knocked on my ass by a week long cold but the neti pot helped me as well!
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