How to survive a cold (over and over and over again)

My husband and I call our two young children the Ebola monkeys. I know this seems harsh, but let me assure you it is a term of affection. Mostly. The thing is, ever since we had kids, we've had an up-close-and-personal relationship with those twins, Nyquil and Dayquil, and I can't remember any week during the past four winters where I wasn't wiping snot from someone's nose.

In fact, just last week, I finally caved and took myself to Mercy’s Quail Brook Clinic (which also happens to be home to my longsuffering primary care physicians). The visit was triggered by a nasty earache. The doctor prescribed a round of antibiotics and steroids, as well as plenty of fluids and rest. I nodded my head on “fluids.” I barely stifled a laugh on “rest.”

(We’re parents. Resting occurs in those small moments when I’ve parked at the grocery store and the kids are still intent on the hundredth round of Dumbo playing on the minivan’s DVD player. I think I’ve managed to lay my head on the steering wheel for up to two minutes before the yelling for a cookie begins.)

Anyway, I’ve compiled a short list for surviving whatever round of the cold you’re on. The information comes from my former life as a CDC employee, childcare workers, and good old fashioned common sense. Because at this point, preventing colds is a little pipedream only a person living on his or her own (without Ebola monkeys) would try to sell me. 

• Rest. Okay, so this is difficult to accomplish, but when suffering from a cold, you can give yourself a fighting chance by going to bed on time (or, if your kids are sick, finding ways to make them sit and relax as opposed to running around outside in the wind). And stay away from activities as much as possible. This not only keeps your immune system from combating further attacks, but it keeps you from spreading your fun little germs to others.
• Medicine. Antibiotics are awesome, but not always. Colds are often caused by viruses, so antibiotics aren’t going to do squat for those illnesses. However, if your cold leads to something else, such as a persnickety earache, you need to talk to a doctor about treating the infection. Here’s a list of urgent care centers to help you get seen in a pinch. Of course, if you’re dealing with a virus, over-the-counter cold medicines may not cure you immediately, but they sure make those symptoms a lot easier to handle.
• Wash, wash, and wash some more. Finally, fighting colds still comes down to avoiding germs through good hygiene. This feels like pushing a rock up a hill when you have little ones who have a special knack for giving you a hug and then sneezing directly on your face, or sticking their fingers up their noses and then touching every surface in your house. But Clorox and Lysol are happy to help us out with antibacterial wipes, and the praises of handwashing can’t be sung enough.

So keep your chin up. Spring is almost here. :)