Sick in the Taichung Winter

1-8-13

I feel much better this morning. My congestion is coming out with a runny nose and I don’t have the chills or feel feverish anymore. I still feel a little weak. I don’t think I will ride the bike, though. I took a break yesterday, too, because I had a rough night with Leona and didn’t sleep well. Leona pointed out this is the third time I’ve been sick since we moved to Taichung. She was very sick with a flu our second week here and has been sick with hangover and colds, too. The problem is riding the scooter or bicycle; the cool wind blows on you and lowers your resistance. Air pollution makes it worse to breathe. Another problem is the in-between and changing warm-cool temperatures of winter here; too warm for a jacket but too cool for a t-shirt. At least it’s better than in Taipei where it is raining and cloudy almost every day. No one, including us, has heat and the inside temperature is cooler than it would be in Brooklyn; it’s now 22 Celsius; 71 Fahrenheit inside this room and the tile floors are cold. There’s a chill in the air. Outside, its 59 Fahrenheit. The blankets we use are thick and don’t breathe. They make me sweat. It’s the perfect formula for colds.

1-15-13 7:37am Tues.

      It is now 55 degrees, 73% humidity with northeast winds at 1 m.p.h. It will get up to 73 degrees today so I will wait until later to take a bike ride. After I ride, I get sweaty, take off my sweatshirt-jacket and that’s how I got a cold. I have been feeling better the past few days but am still coughing a little and feel it deep in my throat.

1-17-13 7:16am Thurs.

The weather now is like yesterday, around 56 degrees and sunny at this time of the day. If I take a bike ride up the Han River, I shouldn’t hang around and get overheated or sit and read outside with my sweatshirt off as I was apt to do. It is chilly inside and outside and talking loudly over the children at the bushiban doesn’t help. If I ride up there I should find a place indoors to rest and dry up before riding back. Maybe I’ll stop off in Tan-Zih at that breakfast place; there’s no front door but at least it’s warmer from the stoves and sheltered.

 

1-18-13 4:14am Fri.

 I think I have a mild case of bronchitis as I still have an occasional deep cough and wheezing. Maybe I should see a doctor before it gets bad. I can still ride my bike but feel a little sapped of energy. I can still teach my classes but feel more tired than I should afterwards. It’s the cool weather, riding the scooter in the wind, riding the bicycle, sweating and overheating to remove my sweatshirt, not having heat in the apartment to remove the chill, and the pollutants in the air. Friday begins a month of no classes (they resume Feb. 18) and perhaps some rest will make me feel better but if it’s bronchitis, I may need antibiotics.

 

1-19-13 7:30am

It is 56 degrees now outside with a real feel of 47 with 13m.p.h. northerly winds and 56% humidity. It is supposed to be the coldest day of the year here. It is 18c (64f.) in the apartment. I am wearing two sweatshirts now. The marbleized tile floor is freezing. I sleep with a sweatshirt on and a heavy quilt. We don’t even have a portable heater though Leona keeps saying we will buy one. In Brooklyn, the house temperature is set to 72 degrees, there is insulation in the windows and doors and the floors are carpeted. It is warmer in the house in Brooklyn than here! I will not be riding my bicycle this morning nor going to the roof garden with Sweeney-Poo.

1-20-13

 Leona got me all kinds of things for my cough and sore right knee. She bought me Natural Herbal Drops and Li-Kao T.J.T. cough syrup. She also got some ginger compresses from her father and elastic net tubular bandages to keep it on my knee. My cough and my right knee are worse when I lay down to sleep and all is quiet. That’s when I can feel the slight asthma in my breathing and the soreness in my knee the most. Both injuries are occupational. What I mean is the cough from a sore throat caused by using my voice incorrectly in class with the children and the sore knee is from bending it at an angle on the back of Leona’s scooter. If I don’t teach or ride the scooter, my injuries will improve. I feel fine just now sitting here in the home office.