This cold is really hanging on. I expected to be carefree and Kleenex-free by now. Instead, it seems to have rallied and made a comeback. I'm congested again, the glands under my chin have swollen up, and now I have a racking cough to add to my delight. I'm getting on a plane in less than two days, and I'm not looking forward to eleven hours of sniffling, snorting, horking, and hacking in the dry air provided by American Airlines. Nor, I imagine, is John.
So, although I normally take nothing at all for a cold besides some aspirin to keep the aches down, I am experimenting with cold medication. You must know one thing about me in order to understand why this is worthy of being mentioned in my diary: I am terrified of chemicals. It's not logical, it's a mild phobia about the invisibility of chemistry. I loathe having to try new over-the-counter stuff because I secretly believe they could cause something bad to happen, something bizarre like growing hair on my chest, or suddenly turning yellow, or passing out.
Sure, mock me, but it's not a wholly unreasonable fear. I have occasionally had untypical reactions to certain medications. I can't take anything with pseudephedrine, the stuff in Sudafed. It makes my heart race, and my nerves fray. The rest of you get sleepy. Ditto the latest wonder pain medication for headaches, naproxin. It made me psychotic, I swear, when I took two of them. The rest of you had a nap and your headache went away. Thus I worry when it's time to try something new. I have to be backed into a corner, metaphorically, to voluntarily test a new product. Flying with a head cold is more than enough to get me to overcome my reluctance. I do not want to deal with the agony of congested sinuses while stuck over the Pacific in a tiny seat surrounded by 400 strangers, thank you very much.
As we speak, I have ingested a capful of Robitussin to damp down the cough, and two snootfuls of Afrin to see if it can tame my sinus congestion. I'm coughing less, so two thumbs up on the Robitussin, and I think I'm less congested but I need to see if it really lasts 12 hours so the jury's still out on the Afrin. I didn't grow any chest hair, however, and I didn't have a bad reaction, so I am happy. I'm not so happy about the method of taking it, though. It's nasal spray. You have to squirt the stuff in your nose "quickly and firmly." I tried to follow the directions and stuff sprayed everywhere. Very attractive, I'm sure. Perhaps that was a little too firm. Can't wait to try it on the plane.
We've collected all our bits and pieces for the trip, I think. Locks for the luggage, ear plugs and eye masks for sleeping on the plane, inflatable back rests and neck pillows to ward off airline-induced back pain, cameras and CD player, and batteries for same, guide books, maps, reading books, passports, yen, and tickets. I suppose we'll take some clothes, too. It's supposed to range in temperature from 65F to 79F, and rain is a possibility. At least it won't be cold. I hate having to drag along gigantic, bulky wool coats on vacations.
Have I mentioned what we'll be doing? We have two day trips planned, Kamakura (famous for its gigantic Buddha) and Nikko (famous for the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil monkeys). Other than that, we'll be roaming around Tokyo itself, cameras in hand and yen in pocket. I plan to visit a couple of famous gardens, and I definitely want to see the Museum of Paper. I'd love to find the restaurant supply district and bring home some plastic food - I'm always on the lookout for lightweight souvenirs for the people in the office.
Which reminds me. They hired someone. He starts Monday. He doesn't know SABRE, and he hasn't been an agent in a while, but he's a warm body and frankly, they didn't find anyone else. They'll break him in while I'm gone. I hope he works out. It will be so wonderful to have a fourth full time agent around. I may get rid of these circles under my eyes after all.
Anyway, this is the last entry for May. Thirty three of you in Germany, Canada, Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. will be getting postcards from me, but I have no idea how long it takes for a postcard to get from Japan to your house, so start checking your mailboxes in about a week. See you in June.
or get girlie and talk about nail polish.
The Index
Next Incarnation