Monday 29 November 2010

Pressure

Sinus pressure hit Sheryl like a Chevy Impala through a plate glass window: painful, messy, and depressing. No manner of medication could ease the pressure, no vitamin could speed the germ's progress, and no room could be dark enough to dull the endless pounding of pressure against her skull.

Cold and flu season could turn her life upside down, so every year, Sheryl was first in line for a flu shot. Every morning, she swallowed extra vitamin C capsules as well as tried and true remedies like Cold FX or ginseng tea. And while these steps would severely reduce the frequency of her bouts, the virus demons always seemed to force their way into her sinus cavity at least once a year.

This particular night, Sheryl lay in bed, her pillows at an extreme angle to drain fluids as much as possible. Her eyes remained firmly closed, her blankets snuggled neatly about, and her box of tissues close at hand. Tears only aggravated the condition, adding extra pressure in the sinus cavity, but try as she might, she could not hold them back against the torrent of agony.