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My plan on Wednesday night was to fall asleep moments after I finished that last entry. I was completely exhausted, and I wasn't coughing as much, so it seemed like there were no serious obstacles to this goal.

(Um, I should note that this entry consists entirely of me whining about my cold. I'll put substantive stuff about the con in a later entry.)

But by the time I finished all the little tasks I had to do (like figuring out how to turn off the brightly glowing clock face built into the room's clock radio (which is built into a foot-long yellow VW bug convertible)), I was coughing again. So I started doing various things to reduce the coughing.

Including, finally, spraying my throat with Chloraseptic anesthetic spray. Which I'd used successfully each of the previous four or five nights.

But Wednesday night maybe I inhaled some of it or something, because I suddenly started coughing more. A lot more--there was probably a five- to ten-minute period when I was coughing more or less nonstop. I was staggering back and forth from the bedroom to the bathroom, trying to cough quietly because it was like 3 a.m., trying to drink water, trying cough drops. Nothing was working.

At some point in the middle of that, I spat into the sink and there was bright red mixed in with the spit, and I started panicking about coughing up blood. Fortunately, there wasn't much, and I was pretty sure it wasn't serious lung problems or anything, but it was kinda freaky.

I thought about calling various people who might have ideas, but it was the middle of the night on both coasts. I thought about going downstairs and trying to find a hospital, but I couldn't cope with that, and I didn't really think it was anything serious.

Eventually the coughing subsided, and eventually I got to sleep, but probably not 'til 3:30 or 4.

Woke up at 10, feeling oddly well-rested. No signs of untoward bleeding.

Later in the day, there did seem to be a little more blood, so eventually I called both the medical clinic back home and Bhadrika, both of whom agreed with my guess that the severity of the coughing fit had likely just abraded my throat to the point of producing a little blood. Bhadrika pointed out that it's much like getting a nosebleed from blowing your nose too much, which was very reassuring, 'cause I've had that happen. Thanks!

The coughing continues to be weirdly intermittent. I'll go a couple of hours with only one or two coughs, then it'll start back up again with a cough every minute or two. Haven't figured out a pattern.

Thursday was mostly okay. Thursday night I tried going to bed relatively early, and again got all ready to sleep, and again started coughing, though not as much. I took various drugs that normally help--Benadryl, Valerian--and still couldn't sleep. I finally tried using a much thicker pillow than I like, lying on my back and propping my head up. That stopped (or at least reduced) the coughing to the point where I could sleep, but I slept fitfully and kept waking up with a sore neck.

Friday was also mostly okay, though I'm a little sore all over. It remains to be seen whether I'll find a way to sleep tonight.

The cough persists. It sure would be nice if it would go away.