Is it the cold or is it the flu?  Here are a list of symptoms:

Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Fever	Sometimes, usually mild	Usual; high (100-102 F; occasionally higher, especially in young children); lasts 3 to 4 days
Headache	Occasionally	Common
General Aches, Pains	Slight	Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness	Sometimes	Usual; can last 2 to 3 weeks
Extreme Exhaustion	Never	Usual; at the beginning of the illness
Stuffy Nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest Discomfort, Cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe
Complications	Sinus congestion; middle ear infection	Sinusitis, bronchitis, ear infection, pneumonia; can be life-threatening

 

So, now I have to decide if I’m just struggling with a cold, or if I’m having some minor asthmatic issues that will mutate into pneumonia because I didn’t take it seriously. Sound like a hypocondriac, maybe.

When I wa a kid, I mean  little, I used to be afflicted with episodes of pneumonia. I’d have fever of over 102*, mom would rush me to the ER, and I would be packed in ice or washed down with rubbing alcohol.  It was  awful.  I don’t really remember much other than the ER visits.  I don’t remember the illness leading up to it, or coming home. But hey, I was maybe 4 or 5.  When I got older I remember being sick with strep-throat frequently.  I remember my dad raising hell with the doctor and insisting my tonsils be removed. Keep in mind, I wasn’t sick just once, I was sick two or more times a year, with hospitalization. They couldn’t rid me of the strep bacteria.

In the 5th grade I finally managed  to be well long enough to have the surgery. I was supposed to take some medication because I was anemic or my blood count was low, something.  It was awful.  I remember running from my mom.  My aunt tried to convince me to take the medicine by tasting it … she almost puked.

Two weeks before, I broke my wrist.  It was miserable.  The docs couldn’t get the bleeding to stop, they had to cauterize my throat (when that wasn’t usual practice), I vomitted blood.  They also removed my adenoids. This lead to big-time ear aches as my inner ears adjusted to the pressure differences (so I recall being told).  I was in the hospital longer that the standard for the day (I think 3 days was normal, I was in for a week.) When I came home I was on Tylenol-3 for the pain.

I missed Trick-or-Treet that year.

Anyway – I’ve been sneezing for a couple days and I have the tell-tale symptoms of a stupid cold.  Yesterday my nose was stuffy on one side, today both are gunky.  I can feel the old familiar feeling I experience in my chest as a cold comes on.  My eyes are burning … fun days are ahead.