Day Five - Part One

At bedtime last night, I had a tickle in my throat and couldn't stop coughing. It had kind of built up all evening, and while I felt like I was trying to clear some mucous, it just wouldn't come up, plus my sinus kept draining down my throat adding to the problem. It got pretty late, it was after midnight, and I still wasn't able to lie down, or even to sleep sitting up, because it just wouldn't stop. Finally, I gave in and took a Mucinex. I also took a hit of my rescue inhaler to see if that would open up my lungs. Then I made a cup of Breathe Deep from the Yogi Tea Company, and added some honey. The ingredients in the tea are Eucalyptus leaf, Thyme leaf, Licorice Root, Tulsi Leaf, Ginger Root, Cinnamon Bark, Elecampane Root, Peppermint Leaf, Cardamom Seed, Mullein Leaf -- all organically sourced. The Cardamom is the only thing I really questioned, but figured the coughing was worse than the tiny bit of cardamom in the tea. However, by the time the tea was ready, the coughing had calmed (the inhaler helped a lot), and I fell asleep with the tea sitting on the nightstand.

I woke up this morning with the tickle back, and I sat up and drank the tea (I actually like the taste better cold). I didn't stop to consider the fact that it had sat there building histamines all night. DOH! It calmed the coughing, but by the time I got to work, my right arm was itching like crazy (yes, just my right arm) plus I'm a little bit bloated (NOTHING like just last week though). I didn't feel like having breakfast at all. I considered the Meclizine, but I was busy at work and by the time I was able to stop to get it, I figured I had put up with it this long, I would just tough it out.

It finally calmed down after I had lunch -- I think it was the tumeric in the chicken that helped. But the coughing came back. I'm risking another cup of tea -- but this time I'm drinking it fresh. The vertigo is really bad today and my eyes have been super blurry all day, but I don't know if that's a reaction or if I'm fighting a virus. I don't have to work my second job today, so I'm going home in a few minutes to take a nap. I'll write more after dinner.