Excuse me while I cough up a lung.

I should have expected this. I stayed home with the tornado Tuesday and Wednesday because she had a sore throat and a nasty cough. Sure enough, by Friday I was coughing, hacking, and feeling like I had bronchitis. Because I am asthmatic, this is not uncommon for me. Whenever I catch a cold, it generally settles happily in my chest several weeks where I feel like I could cough up a lung.

But just for giggles, I found this website http://www.ehow.com/how_2188396_tell-have-bronchitis.html that lists the symptoms of bronchitis. I thought I would check it out.

Step 1:
Examine your cough. Acute bronchitis involves coughing that worsens over time and lasts for about 10-14 days. It also generally worsens at night and often produces mucous (phlegm).

I’ve got that.

Step 2:
Watch for shortness of breath, and a wheezing sound when you breathe. Both are signs of acute bronchitis.

I’m doing that.

Step 3:
Pay attention to a rattling sound in your chest, another indicator that you might have bronchitis.

Not yet but give me a couple more days.

Step 4:
Note a slight fever or overall feeling of illness that usually accompanies bronchitis.

That’s me, I feel cruddy.

Step 5:
Expect chest pain, soreness, and tightness in the chest with bronchitis.

Like a hippo sitting on my chest.

Step 6:
Look for a combination of the above symptoms. When several are present, that's basically how to know if you have bronchitis.

It’s unanimous. I have bronchitis.

I used up my days off staying home with the sick daughter last week so I will be dragging myself to work. This week is so going to suck.