Homemade Decongestant versus Life Brand Decongestant

I've spent the last 4 days home sick. There's nothing worse than being sick in my opinion. I hate it. I get cranky and grumpy, I can't breathe through my nose and I lose my voice. I develop a hacking cough that sounds kind of like a goose mated with a chainsaw. It's terrible.

I am also the person that will try anything to get over a cold/sickness faster. Homemade remedies, old wives remedies.... ANYTHING.

This time, I decided that I would make my own decongestant. I had read about them last year when I was sick, but I couldn't be bothered. This year... I decided I was doing it. I was all in. I found the recipe that I was curious about last year. Did some research on the ingredients and read hundreds of reviews of it. It seemed legit. I found the recipe on a blog called Titus2Homemaker. I figured any woman who willingly made and gave this to her children could be trusted.

I shuffled off to the grocery store. I bought the onions, lemons and the radishes. Honey and garlic. I got a lot of weird looks. I'm pretty sure the cashier thought that I was stoned. I shuffled back home hauled out the blender and mixed up a batch of this. I strained it, it's pulpy and gross looking. And although my nose was out of commission, my eyes functioned perfectly and they cried. A lot.

I quickly downed 2 tablespoons.

So. Much. Regret.

It was like my throat was on fire. My eyes were now watering for a whole different reason. I thought I was dying. After suffering through that, I sat down on the couch and waited for relief. And waited. And waited. And nothing.

The decongestant did nothing for me. I waited several hours to see if maybe it needed more time to work. I even took a second dose. After 9 hours of nothing I headed out to good ol' Shoppers Drug Mart to purchase some relief.

Lesson learned: not everything you find online works. Even if several hundred people say that it does.

Readying for the Journey Home

It's two weeks until Christmas. And about 12 days until I start my journey home for the holidays. 

My bags aren't packed, I'm not ready to go- yet. I have presents to buy and wrap, I have to find someone to look after my fish, and I need an oil change for the jeep. 

Like most years, I am driving. And I find myself getting more and more excited about it. There's just something about driving through this country that thrills me. It's so huge and awesome. 

This year, I am making the drive solo with Remi as my co-pilot. It will be a little strange to not have someone who can talk back to me, but at least this way, no one will get tired of all the Christmas music that I plan to listen to. 

My route home has been mapped out. It looks like a long drive, but it's really not that bad. And I'm actually excited to get on the road and just drive!

The countdown on is on! 

Words of inspiration

She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.

-Elizabeth Edwards