I’ve had a sore throat all week which has led to my family urging me to ‘rest it for a few days. Don’t talk.’ Ummm. Usually when I get a sore throat it’s quickly followed by a cold. This time no cold arrived – and consequently neither did the sympathy. The thing with a cold is you can usually see how bad it is for the sufferer – the red, runny nose. The constant coughing and sneezing. With a sore throat there’s…well, outwardly nothing. Just the occasional wince after a swallow. What they can’t see is that the back of your throat looks like it’s been attacked by a school of piranha.
And then there’s the sleep deprivation. I can’t manage more than an hour at a time without waking up in pain and needing to suck a lozenge or two. Here are my current night time choices.
Of all of them gargling with soluble aspirin seems to work best, which I’m pleased about because as a pharmacist I used to recommend it all the time. Perhaps I should have tried it earlier?!
There are two positive sides to having a sore throat. Firstly you can sound husky, though it isn’t guaranteed and I seem to sound more squawky than sultry. More crow than lark. Secondly whiskey seems to soothe the throat as well as the aspirin does and is a lot more palatable (though perhaps best not taken too often during daylight hours). I’ve been taking a dram of the gentle Dalwhinnie just before bed, but have been recommended Talisker Storm which I shall be trying out. Purely for the sake of medical research, you understand.
Following a trip to the doctors yesterday I announced I had viral tonsillitis. Immediately the sympathy levels increased. Note I’m not talking urging me to sit down while dinner was made for me, increased. Just a ‘oh dear.’ But it got me thinking that we should use the proper medical terms more. Instead of a common cold, say you have acute viral rhinopharyngitis. Not a stomach upset, but gastroenteritis. Why have a headache when you can have cephalalgia? And should you over indulge on Saturday night, duck out of the Sunday chores by telling your family and friends you have veisalgia.