In case you  missed me whining on twitter, Facebook or instagram, I had a little bug this week.  And never one to  miss an opportunity to invoke pity from people, I mentioned a few of the things that were keeping me sane and helping me feel a tidbit better.  So without further ado, I present a list of must-have items/activities that help me survive during these trying days of sniffles and hacking.

Stealthy Jess’ Cold & Flu Survival Guide

1.  (This is probably the most important.) Quality Entertainment.  I remember being younger and loving daytime TV.  Family Feud, The Price is Right, Maury Povich, you name it- I watched it.  But these days, daytime television makes me want to puke (even more than whatever nasty bug I have.)  Maybe it’s because instead of shirking school I’m thinking about the piles of emails I’ve got building up… who knows.   But it’s times like these when I count my lucky starts that we have the smarts to be Netflix subscribers.  Also, if you haven’t used Hulu Plus yet, they offer a free week trial, which I quickly took advantage of in a moment of panic when I couldn’t watch the next season of the show I’d been watching.  Good luck canceling after the first week…

I mean, if you’re going to be couch-ridden all weekend, there’s no better time to find a good series to take your mind off of feeling like a giant ball of gross.  I finally got around to watching Downton Abbey, and… OMG.  I am in love.  The fancy hats!  The plotting!  Mr. Bates!  All of it.  I don’t know why it took me so long, but if there was a silver lining to this bout of sickness, I can assure you it had a British accent.

2.  Soup.  It’s the only thing I want to eat when I’m under the weather, and I stand by my theory that chicken broth has magical healing powers.  And thanks to my handy-dandy crockpot, I can muster up just enough energy to shuffle over in my fluffy slippers to throw random ingredients into a bowl and walk away until it beeps.

And even if it turns out shitty, who cares? You can’t taste anything, anyways.  (This crockpot chicken chili, however, did not disappoint.)

3.  Mindless Reading.  I’m an on-and-off book reader.  I really have to be drawn into something to keep me violently turning pages, while immersing myself into a fictional world where my brain is the animator of character’s faces and far-off places (fun with rhyming!).  And when I’m sick? Yeah, definitely not happening.  So instead, I turn to magazines, where I can learn about things like how to get flat abs without getting off the couch and peruse recipes for delicious foods that I’ll never be motivated enough to make.  Never mind the infinite lists of sexy tips and tricks I’m fully convinced were written by college fraternity brothers.  (Nice try, fellas.)

I did discover a few new hairstyles I’d like to try once I start showering again.  What, don’t act like you actually bathe when you’re sick.

4.  The artillery.

• Emergen-C:  A must-have.  I take this as soon as I feel anything resembling a cold coming on. I swear by it and truly believe it cuts the life of my cold in half.  Tip: only use a little water and drink it like a shot.  My husband mixes it in a full glass of water and I just cannot understand why.  It doesn’t taste awful but it’s no picnic either.
• Chapstick:  I like to have at least two on hand so I can alternate back and forth.  My two favorites are Carmex (obvi) and Blistex Lip Medex in the little blue pot.  Since 99.9% of my breathing is through my mouth whilst with cold, I always find my lips get extra dry.  So slathering on a bit of the good stuff is mandatory and makes me just a hair less stabby.  Plus in case you left one far away somewhere, like on a different couch, you’ll always have at least one nearby.
• DayQuil: (Fighter of the NyQuil…ah-ahh-ahhh… If you don’t get that, I’m not sure I can even explain it.)  Anyways, I’m a DayQuil fan, always have been.  It doesn’t make me too loopy and it seems to dull the symptoms, at least for a few hours.  I try not to take it unless I’m really suffering, but as soon as I do I feel better.  I haven’t found anything that works better, but I’m open to suggestions if you’ve got ‘em.
• Tissues.  Duh.  Let’s be ladies, shall we.  (Just ignore that pile sitting on the end table and the few stuffed in the couch cushions.)

5.  Frankie says Relax.  Don’t fight it.  Your body is an angry storm of snot and germs, so just let it do it’s thing and you’ll feel better soon.  I always end up pushing myself too hard when I’m sick, and I regret it in the long run.  Put on your comfiest jams, grab some blankets and pillows, and submit to the funkness.

Bonus points if you can find a snuggle buddy.

So hopefully you’ve been able to avoid the ailments going ’round these parts, and if they should find you, maybe one of my tips will help you get through it.  In the meantime, stay healthy, San Diego.

What are your must-haves when you’re sick?  Sharing is caring. Don’t be selfish.