A new sound burbled out of my chest last night-- a rattle. Not a baby rattle's rattle, mind you-- it was something more along the lines of what I imagine a death rattle would sound like. Pretty cool. I raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Neat!" the first time it happened.
The rattle would occur only at the tail end of a long exhalation-- a gentle but sinister sound. I'd cough deliberately, spit out the mucus (which may come from the rattle's source or from higher up in my chest), then lie back down in bed. Lying on my side seemed to produce the rattle more easily than lying on my back did.
I suspect the best sleeping posture right now would be batlike: hanging upside down to allow my chest to drain out whatever viscous muck has collected inside it.
The rattle makes me think that it might be time to visit a clinic. The last thing I want to do is get a truly nasty respiratory infection and then spread that to students and coworkers.
Meanwhile, I'm frustrated that this damn thing has lasted so long. Perhaps a sign that I should have been exercising more before getting sick...? A robust body usually possesses a robust immune system. In our little office in Room 302, the two teachers who practice martial arts are already getting over their own coughing fits.
More on this later. Or not. Rattle prattle is likely to bore some of you.
_
5 comments:
I take it you're not a smoker. We name our various rattles. Just now I'm enjoying a little visit from Theodora.
Never taken a puff in my life.
Wow-- so I could end up with a whole zoo full of new beasts!
Kevin
Ok, so you're entering the next stage of the current Korean plague. Mine crept in on little cat's feet, starting clawing around with bobcat's paws and now is mewling softly. Mine should be gone in a couple more days. It is disconcerting though, ain't it; never had anything remotely like this before. Felt like a candidate for the Magic Mountain.
BTW, re "I suspect the best sleeping posture right now would be batlike" Keep dreaming pal; it ain't going to get you to where our furry little friend is, proportionally speaking. :))
Yo Kevin!
Awwww, I'm sorry you're sick! I really do hope you get better soon and I'm sure you will.
I'm not being paid by any pharmaceutical reps in Korea, but - I was thinking about you speaking of exercising more, as a preventative method. I hear that, but now that you have the bug, why don't you at least go get checked out? Viruses are viruses.
Despite my constant ass-injection posts, I hate docs. Most times I go to the doc only when I feel like I HAVE to -- and not getting proper rest from the coughing is a surefire way to get me in the clinic. I can't teach, let alone think on no sleep. So at least I get the doc to hook me up with some medicine I can take to supress the beast to hook me up with a few solid hours of zzzz's. (Tell your doc you're not able to sleep, havking all night.)
Are you coughing up bright green or yellow? My Dutch doc in Japan always said that's a sign of a significant infection.
At other times, I've gone in after ailing a few days, and after the visit feel MUCH better, which makes me kick my ass I didn't go sooner.
I'm just saying,....if you're coughing a lot it CAN develop into something else - or sometimes, as I've learned, mess with your vocal chords heartily. Teaching with no voice is silly! Likewise, it would suck for you to develop bronchitis - which maybe you might have (and I DID with my last bout.} Ugh!
Get well soon!
Definitely see the doc. I discovered I had pneumonia when I had a persistant, productive cough. Probably started with a virus, and then one of those nasty bacteria decided to set up housekeeping in my lungs.
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