FollowIt started, as these things often do, with a simple scratch in my throat. “No big deal,” I thought, gargling my throat with a concoction of salt water + melaleuca oil + peppermint oil and hoping it would just fade away. Oh, how optimistic I was in the beginning.
Last week, that innocent sore throat was merely the first domino to fall. By day three, a slight, tickling cough joined the party. A few days later, the main event arrived: a massive buildup of phlegm that made my chest feel like a clogged filter. And then, the pièce de résistance—the runny nose.
I’m not talking about a sniffle. On Saturday, my nose was a leaky faucet, with what felt like pure water just dribbling out constantly. It was relentless and frankly, exhausting.
By Sunday, the full-body “unwell” feeling had settled in. The nighttime was the worst. A completely blocked nose meant sleep was a distant dream. I found myself making a nest of two pillows to elevate my head, desperately trying to create a gravity-assisted airway. The air conditioner had to be switched off; the cool air felt like an assault on my congested sinuses. For two nights, this was my reality—propped up, breathing through my mouth, and counting the hours until morning.
So, what was this unwelcome guest? A mild version of COVID-19? A bout of Influenza? Having had COVID four years ago, this felt like a much milder, yet frustratingly familiar, shadow of that experience. I did get my flu shot back in February this year, and I’m choosing to believe that’s why this felt more like a nagging inconvenience than a full-blown collapse. Perhaps the vaccine did its job and blunted the worst of it.
Today, on Wednesday, I can finally say I’m on the mend. The faucet has been turned off, though a slight stuffiness remains as a reminder of the battle.
As I’ve been nursing myself back to health, my mind has been squarely on Cass. The timing of this virus feels particularly cruel. Influenza cases are spiking, and the reality hit home when I learned that five of her classmates are already down with it.
My worry comes from a specific place. For the past two months, Cass has been revising hard for her SPM. Like any dedicated student, sleep has become a luxury she can’t afford, with late nights and early mornings being the norm. We all know that exhausted bodies are prime targets for every bug going around.
So, what’s a parent to do when you can’t force a teenager to sleep? You stock up on ammunition.
Our kitchen is now overflowing with fruits—oranges, apples, kiwis—anything she can munch on for a vitamin boost. Fortunately, she has a couple of healthy habits firmly in place: she drinks water like a champ, chomps on veggies like a cow, and makes time for daily exercise, no matter how busy she is.
I’m clinging to the hope that this foundation of good nutrition, hydration, and movement will be her shield. That her body, while tired, is resilient enough to fight off whatever is circulating in her classroom.
To all the parents and students in the thick of exam season—stay strong, stay healthy, stock up on your healthy ammunition, and wash your hands!
And remember to get your flu shot if you haven’t already done so. I’ll remember to take mine again come February next year, which is just 4 months away (omg, why does time fly by so fast?!). It helps.
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