Sick & Sore & So Much More

So I've had the flu - as in "THE" flu, the one that caused the City of Boston to declare state of emergency, the one that has been nicknamed "the killer flu" - since I got back from my wonderful trip about three weeks ago. Since then I've tried, more than once, to publish a post.  About being sick and wanting to feel better, what my comforts are when I'm ill, how I never in my entire existence on planet earth have had the flu, about the things I was trying to do while I lay in bed for weeks which by the way was also a first for me.  And I hated it.

On Monday I moved back to school for my last semester - and the flu moved with me.  I was almost-but-not-quite better yet and with a schedule that includes 20+ credits, multiple shows, multiple jobs, multiple blogs, Honors status, an Independent Study, grad school auditions, and off-campus commitments I sort of knew I'd be looking at a less-than-restful, hardly ideal jolt to my system.

Which brings me to today, when I finally couldn't take laying awake in my room whimpering to myself because my throat hurt so badly instead of sleeping and then waking up voiceless with a sore, swollen eye (yeah I look cute).  So I dragged myself after my morning ballet class to Wellness where I was promptly diagnosed with laryngitis, pink eye (not the super contagious form, ThankAllThatIsHoly,  and a pretty mild case), a fever, and a completely swollen left side of my head, meaning the glands are so inflamed in my throat and ear canal that my whole left side is enlarged and clogged.  Incidentally that's the same side that has conjuntivitis so I can't hear, breathe, or see well out of that side and both my depth perception and balance are screwy.

Lovely. 

Because of all the havoc being wreaked on my body internally, my technique classes - every single one of them the most advanced, rigorous, and demanding level my college offers - have been devastating on my body.  I am not truly sore.  Rather I've passed that in to just straight on pain: soreness, muscles that have atrophied (I had a PT once tell me for every two or so days of bed rest it takes about a week to get your body back to it's pre-bed rest condition. I've been on my ass for 2.5 weeks which suddenly seems a lot longer), difficulty breathing.

I'm doing my best to get better: tea (in a myriad of types/flavors/brews), hot water with honey and lemon, all natural cough drops, compresses for my eye, vocal rest, oranges for Vitman C, pears to help my throat, gargling warm salt water to reduce infection, not wearing headphones, hot showers, gentle stretching, meditating, well balanced and regular meals, no dairy, no spice, nothing crunchy or crispy or greasy, and I'm sure i'll be up and running soon - hopefully in time for my major grad school audition on Saturday!  

Now I know the most important thing is rest, which I unfortunately cannot get a whole lot of right now. . .  but do you, dear readers have any other home advice?

What medicines should I be taking? Anything I should be eating or avoiding? Tips or tricks?  Lay'em on me!