ex(PR)essed

I have my second cold in four weeks. It might be an exaggeration, or it might be fair to say, that I have done more than my part to keep Kleenex in business this month (and, really, throughout my whole life).

There are many benefits to being employed in higher education, but there are a few drawbacks too. This time of the year, the main downer is the presence of so many germs. I work in an office that employs 11 germ merchants, er…I mean students, so there is no shortage of germs. Most of the students have been sick with colds and other nasty nose and throat infections; therefore, many employees get sick as well. And, when I was a college student, I was sick frequently. As a matter of fact, I was sick so much my sophomore year that I’m amazed my roommate opted to live with me again.

I do seem far more prone to nose-related illnesses than others. And, after battling two or three colds in a short period of time, like now, I always start to feel bad for myself. I mean, what’s the deal? I wash my hands, eat rather healthily, refrain from licking doorknobs or using other people’s telephones. Yet, it never fails that I repeatedly get sick.

A few years ago, I decided to take my troubles to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. He scoped my nose, listened (somewhat) to my complaints, and stared directly at my chest throughout every appointment. Therefore, when he very seriously counseled me that I would need surgery to straighten my septum and clean out the air pockets in my nose, I could hardly take him seriously. As a matter of fact, by that point I was ready to give him a good, hard shove.

So, maybe I am cursed with a defunct nose that needs some serious attention. But, until I find a nose, ear, and throat doctor that believes in eye contact, I’m not going under the knife.

I guess that means that I’m in for another long, sniffly winter.