Once every summer, I get a brutal cold. While a winter cold is often expected (and perhaps because of all the exhortation by the media, somewhat prepared for), it’s the summer cold that attacks without a warning. The summer cold really wreaks havoc with one’s sense of well-being. And no matter how hard I try, I usually get smacked with one. When I am traveling and singing, they can get really downright scary, with a sore lung (the result of having pneumonia back in ‘94) that always acts up once a cold occurs. In fact, I spent the time in the shower, thumping my chest and with blazing hot water prior to a gig and thinking for sure that I will either stop my heart, cough up a lung or parboil my chest muscle.
What usually occurs is that I am so busy that I ignore the telltale sore throat that seems to only hang on one side. If I ignore the warning, in about six hours I am toast. The one true friend that works (provided I get it early enough) is Zicam. The zinc lozenges seem to knock back whatever is starting.
But woe to me if I don’t act quickly. I didn’t this time, and so I am now into day two of about four days of misery that I endure with the summer cold. Not too bad considering it is out of 365 days, I guess, but no less easy. I drive Annie and Aine nuts, sniffling, coughing and sweating. I very rarely get ill and when I do, I am a supreme wimp. I took a covid test (which turned out negative) and I knew that it would be a waiting (and resting game) to get myself back in the saddle. I end up moving my phone to a faraway location and try, try, try to sleep.
So what causes the summer cold. It is a virus that likes summer. Enteroviruses and parainfluenza 3 (which would be a great band name) are active when it is warm and humid. These nasty little guys can bring on such fun things like bronchitis and pneumonia.
So, it’s simple distancing, washing of hands, not touching your face and things like that which keep the two summer villains at bay. And miserable right now as I feel, I know that my body will knock this out in a couple of days. But for now, thank God I live in the age of Kleenex.
READ MARTIN’S OTHER BLOG HERE.