Being sick sucks

I managed to bring a nasty cold home with me after an airplane flight this week. Every single year, I get sick around the Holidays. I'm not sure why... maybe this time is just stressful and that lowers my immune system, or the changing seasons finally kick in and mess up my sinuses. When I was little, it was particularly bad... I would get strep and the flu together and always during Christmas.

As I've grown older, sick holiday time has morphed into a consistent pattern of colds. There are four phases to my December cold season. (I) I start getting sick with a small sore throat and some sinus pressure, (II) sore throat goes away but sinus pressure intensifies and I start sneezing and sniffling all the time (very annoying for my officemate, I'm sure), (III) the tempest of all things gross and uncomfortable about a cold come together - barely able to breathe, sore throat, slight fever, etc., and (IV) due to post-nasal drip, I lose my voice entirely and cannot talk above a whisper. I'm in Phase II right now.

When I got my acceptance letter to undergrad, it was approx. mid-December, and I couldn't tell anyone b/c I was out of school and had laringitis (Phase IV). When I received my job offer, I had to have someone else call the recruiter back b/c, once again, I was suffering in Phase IV and I could barely whisper into the phone. This year looks like another Phase IV debacle... the stars are aligning and I will be going into Phase IV next week when I receive decisions from three schools. So, good news or bad, I may be unable to share the news with friends and family right away (well, at least I can still write about it)!

I really hate waiting for decisions... I just want to know already! I wish work were busy so that I would have a distraction, but it's really slow right now. ::sigh::

I'd like to take a moment and give a little shout out to those who have already rec'd some good news from their schools (Tuck and Kellogg mostly)... way to go! I'm very happy for you! :)