The 2 AM Sinus Infection Blues...

So it's the middle of the night; or actually early morning, and I'm sitting in front of this computer because despite a dose of Nyquil 7 hours ago, I am not sleeping.  (And I am also now out of Nyquil.) It's that wonderful time of the day when my sinuses are full and I wish that my face could just fall off.  That time where I am wondering if I need to see a doctor and take a sick day or just soldier on.

With Christmas just 20 days away, I'm feeling the pressure. I need to get better.  And so does the husband.  He came down with it first (I think last Monday or Tuesday) and I followed suit on Wednesday, although I don't think I got the full blown fun until Friday or Saturday.  (So far the kid has been spared and I'm praying that it stays that way.  The kid has a strong constitution and hopefully a better immune system than his parents.)

It's one of those darned colds or infections where you feel miserable, but then not so.  Is it worth a trip to the doctor's office or should I just wait it out?  Both the husband and I honk and cough throughout the night. Which I why I finally got up because it was clear I was keeping him awake this time around.

As a parent you keep trying to go on.  You've got a family to take care of, and while you know it's important to take care of yourself, you're still worrying about them.  And of course, then there's the worry about work.  Do you take that sick day or not?  Of course you should; you're sick!  But there is work that needs your attention.  Take a sick day and do some work remotely?  (Since I am luckily able to do that.)  I think that might be the answer.  There are plenty of others coughing and sniffing in the office, I don't need to add to the symphony.

There is the question of the doctor.  Thankfully, we have insurance, but despite that I always seem hesitant to go.  Do I really need to go?  I'm not looking for an antibiotic, unless the doctor thinks I need one.  What I am looking for is relief.  Over the counter stuff has helped somewhat over the past few days, but not enough.  (And I'm out of Nyquil!)  So I'm thinking that once the sun comes up this morning, that a call needs to go into the physician's office and one, or both, of us go see somebody there. Of course it's Monday and you know everyone will be calling in to get an appointing.  Everyone, who like us, has been sick over the weekend and wondering if THEY need to go see the doctor or not.  Thankful, the physician's practice is well staffed not only with MDs but with Physician Assistants as well, so I'm pretty confident that we will be able to get in sometime today. The question, of course, is when and how long will we have to sit in that hotbed of germs waiting to see someone.

With a head full of snot, I'm going to head back to bed now and try to get some sleep.  Part of the "joy" of being sick is sleeping and waking up and sleeping and waking up and... you know if you could just get a good night's rest that just maybe your body's immune system would have a fighting chance against whatever thing has invaded.

On the grand scale of things, this is just a tiny blip.  A minor nuisance in the midst of the holiday rush.  So I will climb back to bed with no visions of sugar plums dancing in my head.  I will close my eyes, rest and hope that sleep will come.  (And you know that it will just before the alarm is set to go off.)  

One final thought before I climb back into bed.  Whoever wrote Silent Night (the name escapes me right now), never tried to sleep next to a man (or woman) with a sinus or respiratory infection.  Silent night, indeed!