When you can't have a Hot Toddy

I’m coughing at work. I’m coughing on the train. I’m coughing on the metro. I'm coughing in the middle of the night. I'm annoyed at myself. I’m sure people are annoyed at me.

I started feeling ill almost a month ago on January 18th. I had the flu for four days but couldn't (and still can't) get rid of this cough. A side effect of having the flu is bronchitis. Fortunately for me, I have never had bronchitis...until now, however, I should note I've had asthma since I was six years old. So now bronchitis turned into asthmatic bronchitis.

Traveling to NYC for work for two days probably wasn't the best choice. The doctor confirmed I have bronchitis, gave me a nebulizer to help clear my lungs, and steroids. I finished the medicine by February 3rd and this cough still won't go away. She told me to keep an eye on any changes, especially if I get a fever because bronchitis can turn into pneumonia. Great.

This cough was keeping me up at night, and still is, to the point where I move to the couch so I don't keep Perry up too. My pup, Bailey, even looks at me like, "Mom, can you PLEASE stop coughing already?" She'll get off the bed and leave the room, but then come back and cuddle with me on the couch. I've been coughing so much that now I have pain on my right side where my ribs are since February 9th.

I’ve tried NyQuil, DayQuil, and Mucinex DM. Which gave me weird side effects (anxiety was heightened, foggy head, and drowsiness). Then, I decided to try Excedrin because of the pain in my ribs. What did I do? Did I fracture them? Did I break one? I'M FALLING APART. I’ve never felt this sharp pain before and it occurs every time I take a deep breath. Everything is worse with asthma. It's like, every time I cough, I wheeze and my lungs get tighter and tighter and my breath gets shorter and shorter. Then, I have to use my inhaler to open my lungs. It's a never ending cycle. I can't even laugh because laughing turns into coughing.

My friend suggests I have a Hot Toddy. What's in it? That sounds like it has alcohol in it, and it does. Of course it does. What if all of this went away with a hot-lemon-honey-cinnamon-whiskey-mix tea? Mmmmmm... Especially when I’ve been eating cough drops like candy, drinking 120 ounces of water, and drinking hot tea with honey in between water, every day, for almost a month. I'm also trying aromatherapy with eucalyptus oil and taking long baths with lavender salt. Fortunately for drinkers who are feeling ill, there's a lot of different recipes online to choose from. But what about non-drinkers?

I can only avoid coughing by drinking water. Acute bronchitis? I hope so. That eventually goes away. Chronic bronchitis? Well, I’m not a smoker (remember, asthma) so hopefully not. I just want to feel 100% again, without feeling inclined to have a Hot Toddy.

Have any non-alcoholic recipes? Have you ever had bronchitis? If so, how long?

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