Head Cold Persistence & Mexico - Quick Update - February 23, 2010

I wonder, even with all the things I am doing to boost my immune system, if my general resistance to diseases is low. When colds and flu buzz around the workplace, I never used to catch them. Even with my out of shape, overweight, poor-diet lifestyle, my resistance to common diseases was high. Now it is different. I have had 3 colds in the past 18 months, versus an average of 1 per 3-4 years before. With my BCG-stimulated immune system on hyperdrive, what is up with that? This last one was a killer cold. NO - it was not H1N1 swine flu or whatever - no fever or other symptoms. This was the type of head cold from which commercials are made. Started with a burning in the throat and became 3 days of severe sore throat. Then all that went away and was replaced by agonizing head congestion. The kind where you feel like there is a tanker truck of mucus compressed inside of your head. For about 2 days I was fully non-functional. Then the congestion dropped into the chest, and took about 2 weeks to slowly clear. Coughing all night long for the first week, and using tissues by the case, it was pretty rough going. I stayed home to work most days to prevent spreading it further. It was not until day 22 that I felt pretty much "normal" again.

I have taken so many steps to increase my immune function, and they were powerless against this virus. Organic, low protein diet, vitamins, supplements, immune system boosters (beta glucans), and antioxidants. May as well have been taking chocolate cake for all the good they did. People at work that ignored it ended up with bronchitis or pneumonia. It was a bad one. Almost like some kind of 3-week bio-weapon!

I guess it goes to show you that some things will still kick your butt, no matter how healthy you are. Sadly, I did manage to give it to my wife, and was fully sympathetic to her misery and our powerlessness to do anything about it. Yet all is well that ends well, and both of us were fully over the cold before we left for Mexico - but only with a day to spare!

In Mexico we had an awesome time despite unseasonably rainy and cool weather. We drove about 1000 miles meandering from Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast to Guadalajara in the center of the country. The scenery was rich and varied - seacoast, jungle, mountains, volcanoes, farmland, and urban settings surprised us at every turn. And you will be pleased to know that we did not waste an opportunity to drive through the town of Tequila and enjoy some of the famous local products there.

Setting aside some weight gain (only by me) it was a great trip. The food, beer, and people were all wonderful, and we are eager to return again. This rest and refreshment was purposely timed to come before my next cystoscopy, scheduled soon - on Thursday, March 4. Stay tuned to this space for results and details!